


Double Infinity

by asroarke



Series: Double Infinity [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, F/M, Fake Relationship, Mentions of Suicide, POV Bellamy, Panic Attacks, Smut, Sort Of, bellamy is using clarke, inspired by revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-16
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2018-12-30 09:26:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 142,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12105702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asroarke/pseuds/asroarke
Summary: They were running out of time. Eighteen years had already passed. All the pieces they needed to get the job done were finally in place. And, when Wells didn’t fit, they found Clarke. He was too close to let it all fall apart now.And he would do everything he could to make sure she walked out of this unscathed.Modern AU inspired by Revenge, where Bellamy and Octavia are willing to do whatever it takes to find justice for their mother's murder, even if it means using Clarke Griffin.





	1. Rage

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is very heavily inspired by the show Revenge. 
> 
> Basically, Bellamy and Octavia are trying to get justice for what happened to their mother. They have a list of the people involved, and have a very well-thought out plan to get revenge on every single one of them. This plan depended on Octavia being able to romance Wells to get access to the Griffin-Jaha household, but they quickly realize that Wells won't fall for that. So, last minute, they decide that Bellamy is gonna romance Clarke, which was absolutely not part of the plan. 
> 
> I'm not sure if the rating or the archive warnings are all going to stick. I haven't finished writing this story yet, so I don't know if I will actually kill off a major character or if the content will actually become "Explicit" but I wanted to go ahead and tag that stuff accordingly just in case. I'll alert you in the notes if I do make any changes to those. 
> 
> If you've read any of my previous works, I'll go ahead and warn you that this will be one of my darker ones. It'll feel a bit like Wrecked, except I'm hesitant to call anyone a good guy in this particular fic. Maybe Wells and Lincoln. But, everyone else is going to be shady as hell.

It had been a very long time since Bellamy felt the rage scorch through his chest. Years, even. While he had been preparing for this moment for almost a decade, no amount of preparation could prepare him for how it felt to be back in the center of Arkadia, walking among the people who ruined his life.

Bellamy’s mother had warned him all those years ago about what his rage, if left unchecked, could do. And, he didn’t have to take her word for it. The time he spent in a juvenile detention center was enough of a reminder. With time, he learned how to control it. He liked to believe that if Aurora were still alive, she would be proud.

It’s the thought of honoring his mother’s wishes that keeps him centered. Even when every bone in his body is aching to lash out.

“Breathe,” Octavia whispered as they stepped into the Griffin-Jaha estate, forcing a smile not much different than the one plastered on Bellamy’s face.

“I am breathing, O,” he snapped, only to hear Monty groaning through his earpiece. Bellamy struggled not to chuckle at the sound of Monty’s frustration.

“There you two are!” he heard someone shout, as he turned his head to see Roan stepping out of the study, arms wide as he pulled them both in for a hug. “Glad you two finally showed up,” he teased as he pulled out of the hug, tilting his head to gesture for them to follow. Bellamy exchanged a look with Octavia, who had an eyebrow raised at him, before following Roan through the house.

In all of Bellamy’s preparation, he wasn’t quite ready for how lavishly the Griffin-Jaha household lived. He thought the mansion looked impressive from the outside, yet somehow it felt bigger once inside. As he examined the expensive paintings and vast marble flooring, he couldn’t help but wonder how much of this was paid for by what they did to Mt. Weather.

“Oh, there’s Jasper,” Octavia said, before excusing herself to take off toward the bar. Roan shrugged, clearly not thinking this was out of character for her. But, Jasper needed to make some important introductions for Octavia, and Bellamy had his own agenda for the day.

“So, is this usual for these parties?” Bellamy asked Roan, gesturing around the large room, filled with rich heiresses, CEO’s, a few celebrities, and investors… all mingling like this was business as usual.

“Pretty much. Although, I don’t see our hosts anywhere,” Roan said, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the room. “Oh, well there is Wells Jaha,” he said, gesturing his head toward the staircase. Bellamy turned around to see a young man who looked a lot like Thelonious Jaha dressed in a navy suit quickly descending the stairs.

Bellamy pressed his lips together, putting his hands in his pockets. “Arkadia’s prince,” he teased, and Roan let out a loud chuckle.

“Oh, he’s not like that. Pretty grounded guy, actually,” Roan remarked, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. There was no way that someone who grew up like this could be grounded. Roan started slowly walking, and Bellamy stayed in step with him. “Over by the piano, is Senator Dante Wallace,” Roan pointed out, and Bellamy nodded, noticing several familiar faces surrounding Wallace.

Bellamy had done his homework on these people. Almost every person in this room had a file with their name on it… a file that Bellamy had been building and studying for years. Yet, this was the first time that he had been in the same room as most of these people.

“Oh, and Dr. Tsing is over at that table that Jasper and Octavia are heading toward,” Roan explained, and Bellamy did his best not to let his jaw clench. He had to remind himself that in time, every person in this room would get what was coming to them. Just not all today. But, knowing that, didn’t make it any easier to see Dr. Tsing have people fawn over her newest book or to witness the success of Senator Wallace. It’s disgusting to see what eighteen years have done for them, considering how many lives were ruined because of them.

“Is Charles Pike here? I thought I heard that he was close with the Jaha’s,” Bellamy asked, as Roan scanned the room.

“He should be here. He was on the guest list,” Roan muttered, eyes narrowed. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jasper introduce Octavia to Wells, and Bellamy let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. Everything so far was going according to plan.

“Well, if you see him, please introduce us. I’ve only heard good things about his investing firm,” Bellamy said with a slight smirk, surveying the entire room. Then, he felt a pat on his back. He looked over his shoulder to see Jasper gripping his shoulder.

“I’m already bored,” Jasper groaned, and Bellamy started chuckling. Over Jasper’s shoulder, Bellamy could see Octavia and Wells talking in a corner. Bellamy pulled Jasper in for a hug.

“You did good,” he whispered, before pulling back. “Roan, you remember Jasper, right?”

Whatever pleasantries Roan and Jasper exchanged were missed by Bellamy, however. He was too busy studying the sight of Thelonious Jaha and Abby Griffin walking downstairs with smiles about as fake as the one on Bellamy’s face.

“Bellamy?” Roan’s voice snapped him out of his slight trance, as Bellamy turned his head back toward the group.

“Sorry,” Bellamy said, swallowing. A man Bellamy didn’t recognize was standing next to Roan with a strange look on his face. “I was out of it for a second. Hi, I’m Bellamy Blake,” Bellamy recovered, holding his hand out to shake his hand.

“Cage Wallace. I normally know everyone here. What brings you to Arkadia?” Cage asked, with a look on his face that made Bellamy’s skin crawl. Something about this guy made him uncomfortable. Then, the name Wallace struck him. He must be of some relation to Senator Wallace.

“Bellamy took a position at my company,” Jasper answered quickly, shooting a quizzical look at Bellamy. “Turns out, Monty and I are good at the tech stuff, but not so good at the money stuff,” he joked, and Bellamy forced himself to laugh.

“Well, Mr. Blake, I’m sure you know you’ll have your hands full with those two,” Cage Wallace said with a disconcerting smirk, and Bellamy pressed his lips together and nodded.

“Oh, I’m very aware,” Bellamy smirked, glancing over Roan’s shoulder to see Octavia standing alone. His stomach dropped. “Excuse me,” he said as politely as he could muster before crossing the room toward a frustrated Octavia. “What happened?”

“He didn’t bite,” she muttered.

“Fuck,” he heard Monty mutter over the earpiece, and Octavia rolled her eyes. Bellamy glanced back over at Jasper, who also had a tense look on his face. “He should have been an easy mark,” Monty continued, and Bellamy could tell he was on the computer going over Wells’ file.

“Don’t worry about that right now. I need you to start getting information on Cage Wallace,” Bellamy said, looking at Octavia so it would look like they were having a conversation.

“Harmless parasite. Nothing to pay too much attention to today,” Monty said quickly, and Bellamy could hear the frustration in his voice.

“Give Wells a few minutes before trying again,” Bellamy said to Octavia, who let out a sigh. Then, Bellamy saw a man he recognized from his picture walk into the room. Octavia smirked as she followed Bellamy’s gaze.

“About damn time he showed up,” Octavia said, and Bellamy forced himself to take a breath.

“I can’t move on Pike until you’ve got Wells,” Bellamy whispered, and Octavia pressed her lips together, nodding. Bellamy started surveying the room again, noticing how Roan was on the phone as he stormed toward the stairs. That could be anything, he reassured himself. Roan worked for the Jaha’s. He was running this party… there could be many reasons that he would be getting a call that would make him seem this concerned. There was no way Roan knew anything was going on… not yet, at least.

He saw Jasper break free of Cage Wallace, before walking into another room. Well, it was about time he actually did his job, Bellamy smirked to himself. Octavia spotted Wells again, before raising an eyebrow at Bellamy. He reluctantly nodded, before Octavia took off, and Bellamy headed toward the bar.

“I was wondering when the late entry to our guest list would make an appearance,” he heard a woman say as he grabbed a glass of champagne.

“Bellamy Blake,” he introduced himself to Abby Griffin, who was studying him closely.

“Abby Griffin. I’m glad you could make it to our little fundraiser,” she said with a forced smile, and Bellamy smiled in return.

“Well, it’s a worthy cause. I brought my sister as well. We were both just talking about what a lovely home you and your husband have,” Bellamy replied, and that seemed to win her over.

“How sweet of you. Do you live in town or are you just visiting?” she asked, before waving to someone who was walking past.

“I am currently house hunting. I work with Jasper Jordan and Monty Green,” he answered, which, by the way her eyes widened, must have impressed her.

“Come find me once the party dies down a bit. I know of a few places nearby that you should be looking at,” she said with a sincere smile, and Bellamy nodded to show his appreciation. She excused herself as she walked over toward Senator Wallace, and Bellamy swallowed.

“Seems like Queen Griffin likes you,” he heard Monty tease over the earpiece, and it took all the strength he had in him not to roll his eyes.

“Let’s just hope Prince Jaha is just as taken with Octavia,” Jasper joked over the earpiece, and Bellamy smirked into his champagne. Jasper was out of sight, which must mean that he was busy setting up cameras throughout the house.

“Yeah, slight problem with that,” he heard Octavia groan in his earpiece, and Bellamy started scanning the room. He saw Wells talking with Roan now, and Octavia was nowhere to be seen. “Bell, earpiece out,” Octavia ordered, and Bellamy groaned, before turning around so he could tug it out without anyone seeing him. Then, he stepped outside, where other people on their phones were. He pulled out his cell and dialed Octavia.

“We must have missed something while we were doing our research,” she whispered, and Bellamy wanted to correct her that they, in fact, did not.

“Where are you?” he asked, curious about why her voice echoed so much as she spoke.

“Fuck. Hold on, I’m muting you,” she muttered, as Bellamy took a seat on the bench, hearing some other woman on the other line.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know anyone was in here,” she woman said, and Bellamy figured that Octavia was hiding out in a bathroom.

“It’s okay. I was about to step out anyway,” Octavia replied. Bellamy looked over his shoulder, looking through the window. He could see Pike and Jaha talking about something serious, and Bellamy’s chest started to tighten. He should be dealing with Pike right now, not worried about Octavia messing everything up.

“Actually, are you the girl who I saw talking to my step-brother?” the woman asked, and Bellamy perked up, suddenly back to being interested in this conversation.

“I just met him today, actually,” Octavia recovered, as Bellamy raked his brain for what this woman’s name was. He vaguely remembered that she had moved away from Arkadia and had been living in Polis for a few years, which was why he wasn’t as on top of her information as he normally was.

“Well, I just wanted to warn you about Wells. I hope I’m not reading anything wrong, but if you’re interested in anything other than friendship, you’re wasting your time. He doesn’t date,” the woman explained, and Bellamy started thinking back to all the tabloid articles with pictures of Wells Jaha with a different woman on his arm every week. “Love him to death, and all. But, his whole playboy act is, well, an act.”

Bellamy swallowed, suddenly wanting to go back in time and punch himself in the face. He should have known better than to just assume Wells’ reputation was the truth. Wells not only seemed disinterested in Octavia, but in any girl at the party. Bellamy should have known better than to base an entire plan on Octavia being the Trojan Horse. Especially not when the guy she needed to charm to get in with the Griffin-Jaha household would probably never be interested in Octavia.

“Thanks for the heads up. I’m Octavia, by the way,” he heard his sister say. His mind was racing, as he tried to think of another way to get close to Wells. There had to be another way to get close enough to this family.

“I’m Clarke,” the woman said, before he heard Octavia leave the room.

“Did you hear all of that?” she asked, and Bellamy let out a groan.

“We need to go home and regroup,” he said, as he fished his earpiece out of his pocket.

“No, Bell. Clarke Griffin is here,” Octavia said in a hushed voice, and Bellamy wanted to snap and say that he gathered that. Then, what she was saying clicked in his head. The plan could still work.

“Earpieces in,” he ordered as he hung up, putting his earpiece back into his ear. “Monty, I need you to tell me everything you can about Clarke Griffin.”

“Absolutely not. Kane said she was off limits,” Jasper reminded, and Bellamy could hear Octavia groan. Bellamy kept his ear pressed to his phone so it would look like he was still talking to someone.

“Ooh, Arkadia’s favorite princess dropped out of med school,” Monty said.

“Jasper, Wells is a no-go. We can keep the same plan if Bellamy goes for Clarke,” Octavia snapped.

“Top of her class in boarding school. She likes to paint. She’s set to inherit more money than Jasper and I hope to make in our entire lives,” Monty continued.

“I meant dirt, Monty,” Bellamy snapped.

“Kane is going to kill us. It was one of the few agreements we made with him. That Clarke was left out of this,” Jasper reminded, but Bellamy ignored him. If Kane wanted to control how they did this, he should’ve stayed.

“Dropping out of med school is the worst thing I can find. And we’ve got a huge file on her. She’s squeaky clean,” Monty explained, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at the window, trying to locate her in the room. He couldn’t remember what she looked like, and whatever photo he had of her was years old by now.

“Let’s keep it that way,” Jasper snapped.

“Your objection has been noted,” Bellamy whispered, as he saw Abby Griffin pull a blonde woman aside and started talking to her with a forced smile on her face. That had to be Clarke Griffin. She looked too familiar for it not to be.

“And if you strike out, Octavia can take a crack at it. Apparently, Clarke is bi,” Monty said, and Jasper let out a discontented sigh. Bellamy spotted Jasper walk back into the room, and he decided to walk back inside. Octavia appeared again, walking over to Clarke. Then, Bellamy felt someone touch his shoulder.

“There you are,” Roan said with a huge smile, and Bellamy let out a breath.

“Sorry. I had to take a call from my realtor,” Bellamy lied, and Roan nodded along. He glanced over at Octavia, who seemed to be having a pleasant conversation with Clarke. Bellamy swallowed, looking Clarke Griffin up and down. She was pretty, he had to admit. And while they had been jokingly calling her “the princess,” the title seemed to fit. Between her perfectly curled hair and expensive red dress, she certainly looked the part.

“Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you about Wells’ step-sister, Clarke. She just moved back to Arkadia,” Roan explained, apparently noticing how Bellamy’s eyes lingered on her.

“What brings her back?” he asked, hoping that it sounded like he was making casual conversation. Octavia must have made a joke, because Clarke burst out laughing with a smile so genuine, Bellamy questioned how she could be so closely associated with this family.

“She says that she missed being near family,” Roan says with a skeptical tone in his voice. Bellamy glanced back at him, raising an eyebrow.

“You don’t think that’s true?” Bellamy asked.

“Didn’t say that,” Roan said with a shrug. “Want to meet her?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at Bellamy.

“Why not,” Bellamy said before pressing his lips together. And as he followed Roan across the room, Bellamy started to feel overwhelmingly guilty. This was never supposed to be his job. Octavia was supposed to be doing this with Wells, which she was totally fine with. After all, Wells works for The Ark just like his father, and was bound to turn out just as guilty as Thelonious in the end. Using him seemed fair.

But, as far as their research could tell, Clarke Griffin was an innocent in all of this. The only thing dragging her into this plan was her name and the fact that she decided to move back home. But, she was just as good of an option as Wells. She lived in the mansion just like he did. She had similar access to The Ark’s financial history. And, without her knowing, she could let them get closer to their actual targets.

And, even if Wells turned out to be just as innocent as Clarke, it would have been easier for Bellamy to go through with it since he wouldn’t be the person who got close to Wells. But, now… he had to be the one to lie constantly to Clarke.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Roan said, before leaning in to press a kiss to Clarke’s cheek. “This is my friend I was telling you about,” he continued, gesturing to Bellamy. Octavia stepped to the side, shooting Bellamy a knowing look.

“Bellamy Blake,” he introduced himself, reaching out his hand. She took it, eyeing him up and down.

“Clarke Griffin,” she replied as she shook his hand.

 

Bellamy was sitting at his table, listening to some woman named Echo list off what a crazy schedule she had for the next few months. He was a bit irritated that his introduction to Clarke had been cut short by Thelonious Jaha starting the art auction, but, in all honesty, Bellamy probably needed more time to gather his thoughts.

He would have thought that after all these years of planning, Bellamy would be okay with what all he was about to do. But, it was different now that he was actually in the room with all the people that his actions would affect.

Bellamy decided to get up and stretch his legs for a bit, while everyone was busy focusing on which CEO was going to win the painting by the artist that not one person in that room knew how to pronounce. He grabbed another glass of champagne, lingering in the back of the room as he surveyed everyone. Monty hadn’t said anything over the earpiece in a while. Jasper took his out so that he could talk about his newest software program to some potential investors. And, he couldn’t help that notice that Abby Griffin was taking a particular interest in his sister. They were off to the side of the room talking with happy expressions on their faces. From what he heard from O’s side, it sounded like they were talking about some charity. He was doing his best to tune it out.

“You’re not from here, are you?” someone asked, startling Bellamy slightly. He turned his head to see Clarke Griffin standing next to him, keeping her eyes fixed on the auction as she sipped her champagne.

“What gave it away?” he asked, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that technically he was from here. In fact, he was a happy resident of Arkadia until he was ten, when his mother was murdered. But, Blake was a common name, and he didn’t need to draw attention to the fact that he was indeed Aurora Blake’s son.

“Don’t worry. You look the part,” she teased, and Bellamy let out an unexpected chuckle. “Just a little anxious, that’s all.”

“I did just move here,” he pointed out, raising an eyebrow. She nodded, pursing her lips. “Before tonight, I really only knew Jasper and Roan.”

“And how do you know Roan?” she asked, now looking at Bellamy. He blinked a few times. Honestly, he had been expecting this to be more difficult, especially with how hard it was for Octavia with Wells earlier. But, for some reason, Clarke was easy to talk to.

“Officially, the story is that we were on the Mock Trial team together,” he said with a smirk.

“And unofficially?” she asked with a grin, before taking another sip.

“Unofficially, he and I met as we were both leaving a frat party. It was our freshman year and we were both too drunk to remember how to get back to the dorms. So, we drunkenly wandered the campus together for an hour,” he smirked, and Clarke had to cover her mouth to keep her laughter under control.

“That sounds about right,” she muttered, shaking her head as she refocused on the auction.

“You two seem to know each other well,” he observed, and she pressed her lips together again.

“If you’re trying to flirt with the girl, you’re doing a horrible job,” he heard Monty groan through his earpiece, and Bellamy bit his own tongue.

“He seems to think so,” she answered vaguely, as Bellamy raised an eyebrow. “I see him when I come home. But, I haven’t spent much time in Arkadia since I was a child,” she explained with a shrug, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes slightly. Monty did tell him that Clarke had been in boarding school for a while, so he shouldn’t be surprised that she didn’t feel close with Roan. Plus, she had been in Polis for years. That was the reason she had never been taken into account when they put together their plan.

“So, what brings you back to Arkadia? I heard you’ve been living in Polis for a while now,” Bellamy tried to keep conversation going, even though Monty was groaning out of boredom. Bellamy almost felt bad that they made him stay behind, but he was more reliable than leaving Jasper at the computer.

“You heard correctly. I just needed a change,” she said, pursing her lips as Charles Pike stood up to bid. Her facial expressions were remarkably easy to read, which he was surprised by. He had no doubt that Clarke could be just as fake as her family usually was, but it was interesting to see how normal she seemed one-on-one. Then, Diana Sydney made a bid, and Bellamy swears he saw Clarke’s jaw twitch. Her guard was almost completely down, he realized. “So, what else have you heard about me?” she turned to ask him, apparently trying to distract herself from whatever that was. Bellamy blinked a few times, not sure how to answer that. He coughed once, hoping to cue Monty to help him out.

“Hmm, let me think,” Bellamy said, and Clarke smirked.

“Uh, people say she’s really into painting…” Monty said, and Bellamy could hear the keyboard clacking loudly. “There’s a rumor that she dated some prince of small European country.”

“Well, I heard a crazy story about you dating a prince,” he said, and Clarke started chuckling.

“Are you serious? I wish that were true,” she said with a grin, shaking her head. “I guess that’s what I get for staying off the radar…”

“How dare you try to keep your personal life private,” he teased, as Clarke looked down at the ground, still chuckling.

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” some man said as he reached around Clarke, kissing her on the forehead. Bellamy looked him up and down, suddenly realizing there was another vital piece of information that they had somehow missed in Clarke’s file.

“Oh, Finn, this is Bellamy Blake. He just moved here,” she introduced with a grin. “And, Bellamy, this is my boyfriend, Finn Collins.”

“Oh, fuck,” he heard Monty groan, and he could see Octavia’s head pop up from across the room, shooting him a deer in the headlights look. Bellamy reached out to shake hands with Finn, who was sizing him up.

“So nice to meet you,” Bellamy forced himself to say with the biggest smile he could muster.

“Likewise,” Finn snapped with a very fake smile, and Bellamy noticed Clarke narrow her eyes at Finn.

“Excuse us,” Clarke said sweetly to Bellamy, before shooting another look at Finn, who followed after her. “Where the hell have you been?” she snapped as soon as she thought she was out of earshot.

Bellamy watched them closely as they went out into the hallway to talk. There was something up with Finn Collins… he could just tell.

“What have you found on Finn Collins?” he asked quietly, hoping Monty had taken the initiative to start investigating. They didn’t already have a file on the guy, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything there.

“Not enough. But, we could get rid of him,” Monty replied, and Bellamy saw Octavia make her way toward him.

“We sure this is the right move?” Octavia whispered as she got closer to Bellamy.

“It’s our only way to keep the same plan,” Bellamy pointed out, as Octavia huffed, now beside him. Jasper slowly moved toward them, apparently having the earpiece back in his ear.

“Kane will be pissed,” Jasper reminded, but Bellamy just shot him an annoyed look.

“Finn Collins is definitely hiding something,” Monty announced, and Bellamy glanced over at Clarke and Finn’s conversation. She was already suspicious of something. It wasn’t like they’d have to push them that hard.

“Then, let’s get rid of him. Either way, we’re doing her a favor,” Octavia said with a shrug, and Bellamy couldn’t argue with that. At this point, using Clarke wouldn’t harm her. They weren’t doing anything yet except gaining information. And, if it meant getting rid of a boyfriend who wasn’t good for her, this arrangement could actually work out for Clarke Griffin.

 

It was strange for Bellamy to be back here after all these years. In a way, it all felt eerily familiar to him. He had vague memories of the city from his childhood. And, he had been studying these people for years, so it was almost like they were all people he used to know.

And, as he sat in Monty’s penthouse going through video feeds of the Griffin-Jaha house, he had an odd sense of déjà vu.

“Where even is Octavia?” he groaned, pulling out one of his headphones. Jasper pressed his lips together as he pulled up another tab.

“Not a clue,” Monty muttered from across the room. His job was to find dirt on Finn Collins, while Jasper and Bellamy filtered through the cameras Jasper set up during the fundraiser.

“She’s at Grounders,” Jasper said, narrowing his eyes at the screen. Bellamy let out a sigh, knowing exactly why she was there. Octavia was much younger than he was when their mother died, which meant she had even fewer memories of this place. But, of course, she remembered their old next-door neighbor, Lincoln.

She first noticed him last week when she and Bellamy wanted to stop somewhere for lunch. Lincoln was a bartender at Grounders, but had yet to recognize Octavia. And, why would he? She was only five the last time he saw her.

“You need to talk to her about that,” Monty snapped, and Bellamy jerked his head up to glare at Monty, who immediately backed off. Bellamy had warned Octavia, of course. But, his sister has a nasty habit of not listening. At least when the plan was for her to pursue Wells Jaha, he had a legitimate reason to protest. But, now… there was no reason that Octavia couldn’t pursue her own relationships while they were there. Well, there was one reason: that when all of this was over, Bellamy and Octavia would disappear.

“Probably a good thing Wells didn’t pan out then, huh?” Jasper muttered. Bellamy shook his head, refocusing on the screen in front of him.

“Dax, shut the door behind you,” Thelonious Jaha snapped inside his study, as Bellamy turned up the volume.

“Sir, is something wrong?” the man that Bellamy now knows as Dax asked. He was dressed in a suit, and looked a lot like the security guys that Bellamy saw around the party. He was pretty sure they already had a file on Dax, naming him as the new head of security.

“I need you to look into Ontari,” Jaha remarked, looking down at some sheets on his desk. “I think she’s our leak.” Bellamy furrowed his eyebrows, not sure what leak he was referring to.

“Sir, with all due respect, she’s kind of harmless,” Dax argued, causing Jaha’s head to snap up.

“Let’s not forget how much information she got out of Wells a few months ago,” Jaha replied, narrowing his eyes at Dax. “Until I figure out who talked to Diana Sydney, I’m not ruling her out.”

Hearing that name gave Bellamy chills. It was bad enough seeing Diana Sydney at the fundraiser, nosily making her way around the party. Luckily, she didn’t bother to introduce herself to him, which Bellamy was relieved by. She had this uncanny ability to get people to talk, to confess all their secret thoughts and feelings. Bellamy had read enough of her books to know he should be wary. After all, her debut novel did quite a number on the public’s perception of the explosion in Mt. Weather.

Although, Bellamy took some comfort in knowing that Diana Sydney was causing some kind of trouble for Jaha.

“Ooh, who wants to hear the prince and princess gossip?” Jasper asked excitedly, and Monty let out a groan as he sunk further down on the couch. Bellamy paused the video before moving next to Jasper, who unplugged his headphones from his laptop.

“Literally the most oblivious person I’ve ever met,” Clarke groaned, lying down on a couch. They were in a room that Bellamy hadn’t seen earlier, which meant that Jasper really did cover the whole house while he wandered around at the fundraiser.

“She wasn’t flirting with me, Clarke,” Wells snapped, while on his laptop.

“Trust me, I’ve got an eye for this kind of stuff. Octavia was totally trying to flirt with your oblivious ass,” she smirked, as Wells furrowed his eyebrows. “Don’t worry. I discouraged her without telling her why.”

“Thank you,” Wells said with a pleading voice as he shut his laptop. “It’s just too soon after—”

“I know,” Clarke interrupted, sitting up with a serious expression on her face. Bellamy grabbed his notepad to make a note of that, wanting to look into what that could possibly be about. Then, he remembered to jot down what he witnessed from Jaha’s interaction with Dax.

“Finn is cheating on Clarke!” Monty shouted, as Jasper put the video on mute.

“Holy fuck,” Bellamy said, as he got up to walk over to Monty, who was typing some code that Bellamy couldn’t make sense of.

“So, I traced the other phone number that Finn had been calling as much as Clarke’s… It got me to a girl named Raven Reyes,” Monty explained as he continued to type.

“What are you doing now?” Bellamy asked, as Jasper leaned his head on Bellamy’s shoulder.

“Going on a hunch that Finn is with her right now,” Monty muttered, and Bellamy noticed Jasper’s smiles start to grow.

“Guys, what did I miss?” Octavia shouted as the door swung open.

“Finn is cheating on Clarke,” Bellamy shouted back, and Octavia started running over toward the couch, plopping down next to Monty.

“How much you wanna bet she left her laptop open?” Jasper asked with a smirk, as Bellamy and Octavia exchanged a look.

Then, Monty finished typing and a video feed appeared on the screen. “This was too easy,” Monty muttered as he slouched back in his seat. They all crouched around him to see Finn and Raven making out on top of her bed. “Well, what do we want to do with this?” Monty asked, glancing up at Bellamy, who then looked at Octavia, who was smirking.

“I say we get this right to Clarke,” Octavia suggested, her wicked grin growing by the second. Monty studied Bellamy’s face to see if he would object, but Bellamy didn’t really have a problem with this plan. It was more direct than any other option. And it wasn’t like Monty hadn’t done anything like this before. This was far from the first cheating scandal the four of them had exploited, and it won’t be their last.

Jasper headed back over to his seat, turning his laptop’s volume back on. Bellamy glanced at his own screen, noticing that Jaha was all alone now. So, he settled in to watch the chaos unfold on Jasper’s screen.

“I’m just saying you need to be careful,” Wells groaned, as Clarke scrolled through her phone. She glanced up to raise an eyebrow at Wells, who had taken off his tie since he last saw them on screen. “Cage is a vulture. Roan was very concerned about how he was looking at you.”

“I can take care of myself, remember?” Clarke muttered, typing something into her phone.

Then, Bellamy heard Monty set his laptop down on the couch before walking over to them, which means that he succeeded in sending it to Clarke and wanted to see what happened. Octavia came over, too, and Bellamy took a deep breath.

On the video feed, he could barely make out the sound of Clarke getting a text message, noticing her eyes widen slightly before opening it. Wells seemed interested in Clarke’s reaction to the video, as he slid over to look. His face was far more telling than Clarke’s. Bellamy could suddenly see the resemblance between Clarke and Abby, seeing her face turn to stone as she watched the video.

“Clarke, who sent this to you?” Wells asked, eyes wide, but Clarke’s face stayed stoic. It was almost as if something like this had happened to her before, which concerned Bellamy.

“Don’t know,” she muttered, narrowing her eyes at the phone.

Bellamy glanced around at his own little group, seeing them all eagerly watch this unfold.

“Alright, let’s start taking bets about how she deals with this. I say she rage calls him and bitches him out,” Jasper joked, and Monty snorted.

“Nah, she’s gonna hunt him down and tell the other girl too, and then they’ll both bitch him out,” Octavia suggested, but none of these seemed like how Clarke would respond… especially since her face had yet to betray any actual emotion. He kept his eyes on the screen, watching Clarke dial. Maybe Jasper was right after all.

“Hello, Finn. I’m sure you’re super busy right now,” Clarke said calmly, turning away from Wells who had a panicked expression on his face. “I’m just calling to let you know that you have twenty-four hours to get your ass back to Polis. Oh, and tell your other girlfriend I said hello.” Then, she hung up.

Bellamy looked around at his friends, seeing small smirks and wide eyes from everyone as they leaned forward to watch.

“What the fuck was that, Clarke?” Wells shouted, as Clarke got up and walked toward the door. Jasper frantically tried to switch video feeds in time. Then, they were focused on a hallway that Clarke was storming down as Wells jogged after her.

“You should be working on your pitch to the board tomorrow,” Clarke muttered, as she kept walking. Jasper started switching between feeds until he found the one nearest to the staircase.

“Clarke,” Wells groaned, grabbing Clarke’s arm before she started to go down the stairs. “Where are you going?”

“I need to update my mother,” Clarke replied coolly, and Bellamy furrowed his eyebrows. The more he watched Clarke Griffin, the less she made sense to him. He thought she would be more distant with her family, especially since she moved away for so long.

Wells followed her down the staircase, as Jasper filtered through the several feeds that covered the downstairs. Then, he found them again.

“What makes you think it’s going to be enough this time?” Wells groaned, and Clarke whipped her head around, narrowing her eyes at Wells.  

“Abigail Griffin!” Clarke shouted, followed by the noise of someone running into the room.

“What is going on?” Abby Griffin snapped, with an outraged look on her face.

Watching them on the screen like this almost made the whole family seem normal to Bellamy. The fake smiles were all gone. There was no carefully saying anything. No, they all were just going for it. As if they weren’t being watched.

Clarke handed her mother the phone with the video Monty sent her. Abby’s eyes widened, before she started blinking and looking up at Clarke.

“I’m done,” Clarke snapped, and Abby’s brows furrowed as she glanced over at Wells, whose back was to the camera now.

“Let’s not be hasty about this. We still don’t know if this video is recent. This could have been taken a long time ago,” Abby said, and Bellamy’s chest tightened at this. There was something really messed up about what was going on here.

“She already left him a voicemail, Abby,” Wells said, and Clarke started smirking.

“Well,” Abby said before swallowing and looking down at the ground. “He will probably call you back, to beg you to forgive him. And you will forgive him,” she ordered, clenching her jaw slightly.

“No, I won’t,” Clarke snapped, crossing her arms. Wells slowly started to move away from the camera, and slowly toward the kitchen, probably not wanting to be in the middle of this anymore. “I put up with all the other shit with him for long enough now. This was the final straw.”

“Just for one more month. We still haven’t acquired Collins Industries yet, and his father would be less inclined to do business with us if you blow this,” Abby snapped, and suddenly it all made sense. All of Clarke’s hidden frustrations with Finn that Bellamy noticed at the fundraiser. How she seemed like she was single even though she had a boyfriend. The cold way she reacted to the video. Clarke wasn’t in this relationship willingly.

“Sounds like a personal problem,” Clarke muttered as she walked away. Abby’s face was red with anger, yet she didn’t chase after Clarke.

“Thelonious!” he heard Abby shout before Jasper lowered the volume on the laptop.

Bellamy let out a sigh, before leaning back. He glanced around at his friends who all looked shocked by what they just witnessed. Bellamy was also kind of shocked. Not at Abby, though. This seems in character for her. But, at Clarke… who was clearly a force to be reckoned with.

“Are we sure it’s easier to have Clarke as a mark instead of Wells?” Monty asked with a raised eyebrow, as Bellamy pressed his lips together. From what he gathered, Wells was going to be an impossible mark. Leaving Clarke as the only viable option if they wanted to carry out the plan they had spent years building.

“We can work with her. Her anger toward her mother would make it easy for us to sabotage things down the road,” Bellamy said before picking up his keys. Now, he had a lot to plan for. He needed to do more research on Clarke. Because of Finn, they already lost an opportunity. They were already behind on their timeline, and Bellamy hadn’t even made contact with Pike yet.

As he drove back to his hotel, he decided to call Marcus Kane. He promised he would once they arrived back in Arkadia, to let him know that it was beginning.

“Bellamy, it’s late,” Marcus groaned, and Bellamy smirked to himself.

“We’re in Arkadia,” Bellamy explained, and he could hear Marcus stirring.

“And? How is it going? Have you already made contact with the people on the list?” he asked excitedly, and Bellamy forced himself to take a breath.

“Not quite. We went to a fundraiser at Thelonious Jaha’s home, but Wells wasn’t the mark we needed,” he explained, hearing Marcus let out a few sighs as he spoke. “I didn’t think it would be wise to move forward on anyone else until we had a strong foothold in that house.”

“Smart boy. Probably a good idea to take a step back and come up with a new strategy.”

“Actually,” Bellamy started before stopping himself. Marcus would not be happy about the switch in plans, especially with how insistent he was that Clarke not be involved. It was easy to agree to that back when Clarke wasn’t even a part of the scene of Arkadia.

“Don’t even think about it, Bellamy,” Marcus snapped, and Bellamy was suddenly regretting his decision to contact him.

“Can you just explain to me why not?” Bellamy begged, hearing him groan on the other line.

“I don’t want her involved in any of this.”

“You never cared that Wells could be collateral damage. Why is Clarke Griffin any different?” Bellamy snapped as he pulled into the parking lot.

“That girl has been through enough,” he growled, as Bellamy banged his head into the steering wheel.

“So, have I,” he yelled into the phone. “We don’t have enough time to make another plan. Pursuing Wells is a waste of time. We either go forward with Clarke or it’s all over before it even begins.”

“I said no, Bellamy!” Marcus snapped, and Bellamy clenched his jaw. “After everything I’ve done for you and your sister, that should be enough. I will think of another plan. But, stay the hell away from Clarke Griffin.”

 

Bellamy stared at his ceiling for hours, playing that phone call over and over. He didn’t want to burden Octavia with this just yet. He needed to figure out a solution first. He knew that Octavia would just say to go forward with the plan, Marcus be damned. But, Bellamy and Octavia would be in a very different place if Marcus hadn’t swooped in when he did. Marcus saved Octavia from foster care when Bellamy couldn’t. He was the reason that the Blake siblings had an idea of what actually happened to their mother. And, he was the reason that they knew exactly how to get their revenge, how to make the people who murdered their mother finally pay.

Yet, they were running out of time. Eighteen years had already passed. All the pieces they needed to get the job done were finally in place. And, when Wells didn’t fit, they found Clarke. He was too close to let it all fall apart now.

And he would do everything he could to make sure she walked out of this unscathed.

As Bellamy fell asleep that night, he didn’t dream of Marcus Kane or the monsters surrounding the Griffin-Jaha household. No, he dreamt of Aurora Blake.

_“Sweetie, you should still be asleep,” his mother whispered, looking toward the hallway._

_“I heard the tv,” Bellamy mumbled as he walked into the kitchen. He had expected his mother to argue with him about going back to sleep, but she was too busy staring at the news on tv. He grabbed the milk, before pulling a clean glass out of the dishwasher._

_He walked in to sit on the couch, as his mother paced behind the couch. Bellamy narrowed his eyes at the screen, seeing a tall building surrounded by a lot of smoke._

_“Hi, Jake. This is Aurora. Check the news and then give me a call back. It’s urgent,” he heard his mother say, sounding almost frantic._

_“Mom, what happened?” Bellamy asked, seeing that the building was called Mt. Weather. He glanced back at his mother, who had a horrified expression on her face._

_“A horrible accident,” was all she could get out._

And as Bellamy woke up in cold sweat, hand shaking slightly, he reminded himself that none of this was an “accident.” His mother was stopped before she could expose that to the world. Luckily, she had two children who would stop at nothing to pick up where she left off.


	2. Trust

For any of this to work, trust was a necessity. He trusted Octavia with his life. He knew he could trust Jasper and Monty with the plan, not only because they were close friends, but because they were after their own revenge as well. And, for the most part, he trusted Marcus Kane.

You see, trust was something that had to be earned, and Marcus had more than earned Bellamy’s trust. He trusted Marcus to be open with the information he had about his old friends at The Ark. He trusted him to continue to take care of him and Octavia. And, he trusted that Marcus would ultimately forgive him for going behind his back and pursuing Clarke Griffin.

Bellamy understood the importance of trust. And, trust was key to his success in Arkadia.

Years ago, while Octavia was still in high school, Marcus and Bellamy spent many days coming up with plans and schemes to take down the people who murdered Aurora Blake. Bellamy was convinced the best way to destroy them was just to flood the authorities with the evidence they were in the process of uncovering.

It took a brutal chess match for Bellamy to see what Marcus saw.

_“You didn’t see that coming, did you?” Marcus asked with a smirk after he took Bellamy’s bishop. Bellamy blinked a few times, now unsure of what his next move should be. He had an excellent plan to take the king in less than three moves, and somehow, Marcus had ruined it. And Bellamy didn’t see it coming. “You shouldn’t make a play for the king when there are too many pieces left on the board.”_

_“Is this another one of your dumb lessons?” Bellamy muttered, hearing Octavia huff from the other side of the room, reminding them that she had an Algebra test in the morning._

_“While you make plans, your opponent is also making plans. A smart player will try to predict their opponent’s plans.”_

_“Well, it’s too early in the game for me to figure out what you’re doing,” Bellamy groaned, as Octavia stormed up the stairs._

_“Exactly,” Marcus snapped, and Bellamy glanced up to see him narrowing his eyes. “Right now, there are too many pieces left on the board. You can’t keep up with all of them. You have to take out the important players first,” Marcus explained, gesturing to a few of his pieces._

_Bellamy leaned back in his seat, narrowing his eyes at Marcus._

_“Thelonious Jaha and Abby Griffin had help. There are dozens of pawns and bishops who have done and will continue to do their dirty work. They have their own rooks and queens who are strategically placed to keep them safe.”_

_“And, if I try to expose them while all these pieces are still in play, I might not be able to predict their next move,” Bellamy said, examining the board._

_“The game gets easier to play with less obstacles in the way of what you really want,” Marcus smirked, as he saw the realization grow on Bellamy’s face._

_“They still have the people who helped them get away with it the first time around. I have to take out all the people they trust first,” Bellamy said, pressing his lips together. In an ideal world, Bellamy could just take them all out in one move, to expose them and then all the pieces would fall. But, he didn’t live in an ideal world. His opponents know more than he does and they have more vast resources._

And once Bellamy knew what he was looking for, finding the people that Jaha trusted was easy. All Bellamy had to do was to find the people who profited the most from the fall of Mt. Weather.

Now, Bellamy was surrounded by several of these people.

“I’m gonna need something stronger,” Wells muttered, looking into his glass. Bellamy smirked at him before glancing around the room. Roan was studying him closely; which Bellamy didn’t quite understand.

“So, what exactly is Roan’s job?” Bellamy asked, as Wells pressed his lips together. Bellamy had “accidentally” run into the Jaha’s at a polo match earlier that day, and must have charmed at least Wells, because he found himself being invited to a small get together at their house afterwards. And, it was quite the intimate affair. From what Bellamy could tell, this was a much closer crowd than those who came for the fundraiser. There were less than twenty men in the room, all of which looked quite comfortable in the Griffin-Jaha estate.

“My father’s assistant. Basically, he runs all non-business events that he or Abby are in charge of,” Wells explained with a strange look on his face.

“Something wrong?” Bellamy asked Wells, seeing Charles Pike walk out of Thelonious Jaha’s study with a frustrated look in his eyes.

“No, he’s just not my favorite person at the moment,” Wells said, before plastering another fake smile on his face. Slowly, Charles Pike moved towards Wells, and Bellamy saw the opportunity he had been waiting on.

“Wells,” Charles Pike said, as he put both of his hands on Wells shoulders.

“Mr. Pike,” Wells replied with a huge grin, as Pike moved to his side.

“Oh, I’m sorry. We haven’t been introduced. I’m Charles Pike,” he said, reaching his hand out toward Bellamy.

“Bellamy Blake. It’s an honor to meet you, sir,” Bellamy said with a huge grin, as he firmly shook Pike’s hand.

“Bellamy just moved to Arkadia. He’s running Jasper Jordan and Monty Green’s new company,” Wells explained, and Bellamy could practically see Pike take the bait right there and then.

“Jascorp,” Pike connected the dots, his eyes widening slightly. “Quite impressive for someone so young,” he continued, now sizing Bellamy up.

“The real impressive work is what Monty and Jasper have put together in such little time,” Bellamy deflected, not wanting Pike to pry into how Bellamy got that position. Not to mention that Jasper and Monty were likely watching the feed right now, and would give him hell if he didn’t properly credit them.

“Still,” Pike replied, digging into his jacket pocket to pull out his business card and handing it to Bellamy. “If you ever find yourself wanting to explore your financial options, give me a call,” he said smugly before patting Wells on the back and walking away.

“Be careful with him,” Wells warned Bellamy once Pike was out of earshot, as Bellamy studied his face closely. Bellamy had been watching Wells and his family for about a week now, noticing how they interact with each other. He learned more about them in that week than years of research could have told him. He learned that Wells had a huge heart, that he often had to hide that fact. That the only person he consistently saw Wells be himself around was Clarke.

But, Bellamy could see pieces of the real Wells shine through every now and then. Like now, as Bellamy could see how Wells actually felt about Roan, or how Wells actually took the time to warn Bellamy to be cautious around Pike. These were little transgressions that Wells usually didn’t slip up on… which meant that on some level, Wells was starting to trust Bellamy, as if they were friends.

“Don’t worry. I will,” Bellamy reassured as Wells nodded. He scanned the room, noting that at some point the older Jaha must have slipped out. Bellamy was too busy trying to figure out where Thelonious went that he missed Roan walk up to them.

“She just left,” Roan said to Wells, who looked almost relieved.

“Who?” Bellamy asked, not thinking he would sound too nosy, since he was literally right there as Roan said it.

“Echo,” Wells explained with a sigh, as he exchanged a look with Roan. Bellamy vaguely remembers Echo from the fundraiser. All he really recalled was that she spoke too much and it was never about anything real. “Clarke is still here, right?” Wells asked Roan, who pressed his lips together and nodded. “Bellamy,” Wells turned with a slightly forced smile, as Roan stepped away with an annoyed expression on his face. “Has anyone given you a tour of the house, yet?” he asked.

“No, not yet. But, I would love one,” he said, as Wells gestured for Bellamy to follow.

“Sorry about that,” Wells whispered once they were upstairs and out of earshot. “I really hate these little get togethers that my dad throws.”

“Oh, this isn’t too bad,” Bellamy reassured as Wells let out a huff, leading him into a room. Bellamy recognized this as one of the offices that Jasper had managed to sneak a camera into.

“This is my personal office. And, going to one or two of these isn’t bad. But, when it’s how you spend every Sunday… it gets old,” Wells muttered, and Bellamy let out a chuckle.

“Too many of your dad’s friends sucking up to you?” he teased, and Wells shot him a knowing look.

“Honestly, that’s why I asked you here. You’re the only real person here,” he groaned, before resuming the tour.

“Well, you’re pretty real. And, so is your step-sister,” Bellamy said, as Wells led him down a hallway that was covered in portraits. Bellamy recognized a few of the people in the paintings, like Thelonious Jaha or Abby Griffin. But, there was a man he didn’t recognize, standing next to a young girl that looked a lot like Clarke. Must be her father. He made a mental note to look into that.

“Yeah, well. Clarke got out,” Wells joked, laughing to himself as he kept walking down the hallway. Bellamy followed, feeling almost creeped out by the fancy portraits staring at him as he walked.

“How has she been? I met her and her boyfriend last week,” Bellamy asked casually, as Wells led him into a room that looked like his bedroom. Jasper didn’t get any cameras in here, which probably wouldn’t be worthwhile. They were trying their best to leave Wells out of this.

“Oh, she’s the same old Clarke. But, without the boyfriend now,” Wells said with a smirk. Bellamy was grateful that he grabbed that bait. Clarke hadn’t been in the video feeds as much as everyone else in the family, potentially because she spent time in areas of the house that were not covered by the cameras. She hadn’t had much personal cellphone activity that would tell them that she was officially done with Finn Collins. The only evidence they had of the breakup was what they saw a week ago and that Finn Collins had gone back to Polis. Bellamy needed to make sure nothing stopped Clarke from ending things with him.

“Well, that’s too bad,” Bellamy said with a shrug, as Wells pulled a bottle of whiskey out from his bedside table. He grabbed two glasses and started pouring.

“Trust me, it’s not. He cheated on her,” Wells replied before handing Bellamy a glass.

“I can’t believe that. Clarke seems great to me. He must be an idiot,” Bellamy said with a slight shrug, which seemed to catch Wells’ attention, as he started smiling slightly.

“Let’s resume the tour,” Wells said, as he picked up his glass and walked out the door. Bellamy followed him, noticing a door right across from Wells’ that was opened slightly. But, Wells didn’t take him in there. No, he headed all the way down the hall into the Griffin-Jaha estate’s private library.

Bellamy’s jaw dropped slightly, overwhelmed by how large the room was, as its dozens of bookshelves all went up to the ceiling. This library was larger than the one he would walk to back in elementary school. While most of the mansion seemed impressive to most, this was the first thing Bellamy saw that genuinely impressed him. He could spend his lifetime trying to read all the books in this room, and probably not be able to get to them all.

Somehow, Bellamy seemed to miss Clarke Griffin sitting at a desk shuffling through papers, with a furrowed brow. “Any luck?” Wells asked her as he strode over toward Clarke, who only just now noticed them.

“Not yet, but Echo made some interesting suggestions,” Clarke replied, looking pretty tired. In fact, Bellamy hadn’t seen Clarke like this yet. She had very little makeup on, and her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. He wondered if this is where in the house that Clarke had been hiding out in.

“Oh, Clarke, you remember Bellamy Blake, right?” Wells asked, turning to look at Bellamy with raised eyebrows.

“Yes, it’s good to see you again,” Clarke answered, with a smile that looked genuine.

“Likewise. Wells was just giving me the grand tour,” Bellamy explained, as Clarke narrowed her eyes at Wells.

“You avoiding your dad’s friends?” Clarke teased as she stood up and grabbed Wells’ glass out of his hand and taking a huge gulp.

“You should be working,” Wells snapped back before grabbing his drink back, and Clarke just smirked.

“I am,” Clarke muttered, as she sat back down, now looking at Bellamy. “Don’t become friends with this one. He’s a workaholic,” she smirked, as Bellamy narrowed his eyes at Wells who had an annoyed expression on his face. The two of them really did behave just like any other siblings, despite not being biologically related. Bellamy remembered that Thelonious and Abby got married not too long after the Mt. Weather explosion, meaning that both Clarke and Wells were under the age of ten when they became family. It was kind of endearing, to see how normal the two of them turned out.

“Wells, he just arrived,” Thelonious said as he popped his head into the library. Then, in a flash, he was gone again, as Wells downed his entire glass before slamming it on the desk.

“I’ve got to go talk to one of our board members. I’ll be right back,” Wells groaned, before taking off, leaving Bellamy all alone with Clarke Griffin. Bellamy blinked a few times, suddenly not sure what to say. He had already planned an “accidental” run in with Clarke later this week, but had yet to make a plan for it. And now, he had a golden opportunity where he was alone with Clarke, to get closer to her.

“So, how did Wells drag you to Thelonious’ little gentleman’s club?” Clarke asked in a teasing tone, with a slight grin on her face.

“Didn’t have any other plans,” Bellamy joked with a shrug, sitting down in the chair across from Clarke’s desk. “What are you working on?” he asked, looking at all the papers scattered on the desk. As far as he knew, Clarke didn’t have an actual job. Not that the girl needed one, especially with how well Griffin Global’s stock has been doing lately.

“Griffin Global is hosting a gala later this week,” she explained, with a bit of tension creeping back on her face. “There was a charity that it was supposed to be for, but I had a friend do some digging into it, and found out that it was not exactly helping the people it was supposed to.”

“That’s horrible,” Bellamy said, trying to sound shocked. He knew all too well how many charities were actually bogus. Hell, he tried not to laugh at the irony of a Griffin getting outraged at a shady charity, especially with Abby Griffin’s shady dealings with The City of Light.

“Well, trust me, they’re being taken care of,” Clarke continued, jaw slightly clenched. And Bellamy couldn’t help but wonder what Clarke meant by that. “But, now I’m in a bind because I have to find another charity for this event so we don’t have to cancel,” she explained, and Bellamy leaned back in his chair, seeing another opportunity to get even closer to her.

“You know, there’s an organization that Octavia has worked with for years. It’s stationed out of Tondc, but has expanded into Arkadia,” Bellamy explained, noticing how Clarke’s eyes widened. “It’s pretty small right now,” he clarified, which only seemed to make Clarke more interested. “It works to improve the life of foster care kids. It’s a cause that’s pretty close to both me and O’s hearts.”

Clarke tilted her head slightly as she narrowed her eyes at Bellamy. Then, she picked up a pen and started jotting something down. “Do you know if your sister is super busy this week?” Clarke asked as she put her pen down.

“As far as I know, her schedule is pretty clear. Why?” Bellamy asked, even though he knew exactly where this was going. He just found a way for Octavia to get closer to people that Bellamy wouldn’t have access to.

“Well, I want to ask her to help me,” Clarke explained, handing Bellamy a piece of paper with her phone number on it. “And if she’s worked with this organization before, it would be quite the asset to have her serve on the committee with me.” And, just like that, Octavia had a way to be introduced to every important, wealthy person in Arkadia.

“Oh, I’m sure she would be happy to help in any way she could.”

“Seriously, you have no idea what a life saver this is,” Clarke said exasperatedly, forcing a weak smile. “I definitely owe you one.”

“Well, an invitation to a Griffin gala would be nice,” Bellamy said with a smirk, as Clarke narrowed her eyes slightly at him.

“Sadly, we’ve already hit our quota for the number of invitations we can send out. But, I do have a plus one,” Clarke said with a smirk, and Bellamy had to swallow to remember to play this cool.

 

“Clarke Griffin wants you to call her,” Bellamy said excitedly, handing Octavia the sheet of paper. She gave him a confused look, as Bellamy took off his jacket. “I may or may not have just gotten you on a committee with her,” he elaborated with a smirk, as Octavia’s eyes widened.

“How did I miss all of that?” Jasper grumbled as he looked at his laptop.

“You didn’t bug the damn library,” Bellamy groaned, and Jasper started pouting. “Oh, and I made contact with Pike today. And got a date with Clarke,” he bragged, as Octavia excitedly hit his arm.

“Holy shit!” she screamed excitedly, as Monty stumbled into the room with messy hair, and Bellamy noticed he was still in his pajamas.

“Did you two not leave the penthouse today?” Bellamy asked, narrowing his eyes at Jasper who just shrugged.

“Too busy researching the tech company that Queen Griffin has been looking into,” Monty muttered as he plopped down next to Jasper.

“And?” Bellamy asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Griffin Global will be in business with Paragon Unlimited by next week,” Monty said, and Bellamy nodded in appreciation.

“Well, I have Pike’s card and I’ll give him a call first thing tomorrow,” Bellamy said smugly as he walked into the kitchen. Despite the hiccups from the previous week, this plan was coming along perfectly. Everything fell right into place today.

 

“This would be the best time in your life to take some calculated risks,” Pike explained, as Bellamy leaned back in his chair. Pike turned his computer around to show Bellamy a few charts from some of his major investors.

“Well, I can’t argue with results,” Bellamy replied, wondering if Jasper could get access to the investor list.

“Good. Then, we will get to work putting together a good portfolio for you. Was there any stock in particular you have an interest in?” Pike asked with a smarmy grin.

“I was wondering what you could tell me about Frontier Dynamics,” Bellamy said, noticing a confused look on Pike’s face.

“Uh, well it’s big in the Midwest, but really doesn’t have a strong reputation throughout the country,” he replied, narrowing his eyes at Bellamy.

“I’d like to invest in them, the sooner the better,” Bellamy replied coolly, and he could see the wheels turning in Pike’s head.

“Why?”

“Just have a good feeling, I guess,” Bellamy smirked, as Pike wrote this down with a shocked expression on his face. “I’ll wire the funds over to you after lunch.”

 

“Well, look who cleans up nicely,” Octavia teased as Bellamy strolled in. He offered his arm to Octavia as they walked into the ballroom. She was wearing this dark purple strapless dress, and it almost scared Bellamy how easily his sister fit into this world.

“You don’t look half bad yourself,” he joked, glancing at his sister just in time to see her roll her eyes. She did look good, though. Although, Bellamy almost choked when he checked his credit card bill to see how much the dress cost. “So, learn anything important from our favorite princess?”

“She dropped out of med school to pursue art,” Octavia replied, and Bellamy scrunched his nose before finding a table for them to stand around.

“Queen Griffin could not have liked that,” he muttered, as he turned around to grab two glasses of champagne.

“Well, from what I can gather, Abby doesn’t have a strong leash on Clarke. Not like what she and Thelonious have on Wells,” she explained quietly, as Bellamy scanned the room. He was pretty early, so few people had arrived yet.

“Makes sense,” Jasper muttered through the earpiece, and for a moment had forgotten that Jasper insisted on being a part of this. “Wells is going to run The Ark one day. They need to stay on top of him more.”

“We do have one problem with Clarke, though,” Octavia said, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at her. Things were running so smoothly; he should have anticipated some kind of complication. Clarke was almost too easy of a mark. “It’s that Echo girl.” Bellamy searched the room, still not seeing Clarke, but he did recognize Echo, who seemed to be talking Wells’ ear off.

“The two of them go way back, it seems. Don’t know if I would call them friends, though,” Jasper said over the earpiece.

“She’s really good at worming her way into things. We just need to keep an eye out for her. Something is off there,” Octavia observed, and Bellamy let out a sigh.

“Yeah, I get the same vibe from her that I got from Finn. There’s something wrong there,” he muttered, before seeing Clarke enter the room alongside her mother. Dressed in a long-sleeved silver dress, Abby’s smile was slightly forced as she surveyed the room. Clarke, who was wearing a dark blue dress with her hair swept to the side, looked slightly more genuine as she scanned the room, probably looking for Wells. But, when she saw Bellamy and Octavia, she started smiling as she strode over toward them. Bellamy couldn’t help but notice how Abby’s eyebrow raised at the sight, before she quickly moved on to finding her husband.

“Bellamy, you look very nice,” Clarke said as she greeted them both. Octavia pulled Clarke in for a hug.

“I tried my best. You look quite lovely yourself,” he said with a grin, and he swears he could see Clarke start to blush.

“Oh, I see Monty. I’ll find you two later,” Octavia said, before walking across the room.

“I have to say, when you Griffins throw a gala, you really do go all out,” Bellamy remarked looking around at how lavishly the ballroom was decorated. Clarke grabbed a glass of champagne before looking around, as if she were admiring her own work. “I thought you would be off schmoozing by now.”

“I should be,” she said with a slight groan, and Bellamy chuckled. Clarke took a sip of her drink, as Bellamy saw someone quickly stride over to them.

“If it isn’t the littlest Griffin,” Charles Pike said warmly, extending his arms to Clarke for a hug. Bellamy noticed how Clarke pressed her lips tightly, even as she smiled back at Pike. He wondered what reason she had for disliking him, if she knew what he really was or just suspected there was something bad there.

“I’m so glad you could make it,” Clarke replied. “Have you met my date, Bellamy Blake?” she asked, and Pike’s eyes darted over to Bellamy with a confused look in his eyes.

“Yes, actually I have. Nice to see you again,” Pike said, narrowing his eyes slightly at Bellamy. Then, he swallowed before looking back at Clarke. “You know, I was sorry to see that the original charity for this didn’t work out for you.” Clarke narrowed her eyes at Pike.

“Well, there are just some people in this world who are willing to exploit other’s generosity to make a quick buck,” Clarke snapped with a smile plastered on her face.

“Does she not even realize how ironic it is to hear that coming out of a Griffin’s mouth?” Monty groaned over the earpiece, and Bellamy swallowed, keeping his eyes fixed on Pike.

“A friend of mine informed me that the charity is already under investigation. That happened pretty quickly… someone must have pulled some strings to make that happen,” Pike replied, keeping his eyes focused on Clarke.

“That’s the first I’m hearing of it,” Clarke answered with a slight shrug.

“Sure,” Pike said with a smirk as he leaned on the table. Bellamy glanced over at Clarke, noticing a smirk growing on her face as well. “Just reminds me of the kind of stuff your father would pull off. I’ll leave you two to enjoy your evening,” Pike remarked before giving Bellamy another quizzical look and leaving.

Bellamy studied Clarke’s face closely as she took another sip of her champagne, ignoring the argument that Monty and Jasper were currently having over the earpieces.

“You look like you have something to say,” Clarke remarked with an almost smug look on her face.

“I have a feeling you’re secretly terrifying,” he joked as Clarke bit her lip to keep from laughing.

“Obviously,” Clarke said sarcastically, and Bellamy couldn’t fight the grin that was growing on his face.

“Like you probably have someone on speed dial who could make a body disappear,” he teased.

“Why outsource a job you could easily do yourself?” she joked, and Bellamy nearly choked on his champagne. Clarke let out a mock frustrated huff as she looked around the room, which only seemed to make Bellamy laugh even harder.

“How very DIY of you,” he smirked, and Clarke started grinning ear to ear. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Monty talking to a woman that Bellamy had to assume was Ontari. He must have taken out his earpiece, because Bellamy couldn’t hear what he was saying anymore. He better stay on script.

“So, you’ve been my date for almost five minutes and you have yet to ask me for a dance,” Clarke said, narrowing her eyes at Bellamy.

“Maybe I’m shy,” he joked, as Clarke raised an eyebrow.

“You’re definitely not shy,” Clarke remarked, her lips forming a small smirk.

“Well, maybe I don’t want to step on your feet,” he replied, knowing all too well that he wasn’t a good dancer.

“But, if I don’t at least look like I’m busy, I’m eventually going to have to talk to people. And, I don’t really like people,” she said, scrunching her face slightly.

“I’m a bad dancer,” he confessed.

“I’ll lead,” she replied quickly, with a smug look on her face. She knew she had him. He held out his hand, and she took it with a look of victory all over her face.

Bellamy tried his best to ignore the looks he got as he led Clarke onto the dance floor, but it was hard. He was slowly getting used to the people in Arkadia sizing him up upon meeting him. But, as soon as everyone in the room realized that he was there with Clarke Griffin, it was like they were all sizing him up at once. This was one part of the job that he probably should have prepared for. Once he became associated with a Griffin, he would no longer be the anonymous newcomer.

“I didn’t realize that your brother knew my daughter,” he faintly heard a voice that sounded an awful lot like Abby Griffin over the earpiece.

“I think they’ve met once or twice,” Octavia replied, as Bellamy looked around the room, seeing Abby Griffin and Thelonious Jaha talking with Octavia. Bellamy fixed his gaze so they wouldn’t catch him staring at them, but he could feel Jaha’s eyes on him.

“Everything okay?” he heard Clarke ask, which snapped Bellamy out of it. He looked at her to see her searching his face with concern.

“Yeah, just a little out of it,” he replied quickly, trying to tune out the sound of Clarke’s mother drilling Octavia with questions about him.

 

As Abby Griffin began to introduce the charity, Bellamy stepped out, holding his phone to his ear so he looked like he was on the phone.

“Good work, Monty. This rumor is spreading like wildfire online,” Jasper said over the earpiece. Bellamy smirked slightly, resting his head against the lobby wall.

“Well, you can always trust the right people to do the wrong thing,” Monty muttered, referring to Ontari who waited less than five minutes before acting on what Monty told her about Frontier Dynamics.

“Do we think Pike will take the bait?” Jasper asked.

“Oh, definitely. He’s seen me with both Wells and Clarke now, and then I ask him to invest with the company that the media is speculating Griffin Global is about to buy out,” Bellamy whispered, turning slightly so he could look into the ballroom. For a while, Bellamy had been worried that Pike would just ask Abby or Thelonious if the rumor was true. But, after going over the feed from Thelonious’ study, it was clear that Pike was on the outs with the Griffin-Jaha household.

That was one part of this lifestyle that Bellamy was struggling to get used to. On the surface, everyone seemed friendly with each other. A few months ago, Bellamy would have said that Charles Pike was close friends with both Thelonious and Abby. But, the little facial tics each of them head when he walked in the room were quite telling. Wells clearly did not trust him. And, if he wasn’t certain before, tonight confirmed that Clarke couldn’t stand him either. Bellamy wasn’t sure what changed in the eighteen years since Mt. Weather, but whatever it was clearly was severe enough to distance Pike from his former co-conspirators. He would have figured the Griffin-Jaha family would still be close to the man responsible for the millions they made on Mt. Weather, but he was more than happy to take advantage of this rift.

“Also, Monty, we need to start digging more on Clarke,” Jasper muttered, as Bellamy swallowed.

“What did you find?” Bellamy asked, looking into the ballroom. Clarke was now in a conversation with Cage and Dante Wallace, talking enthusiastically about something.

“That charity she ‘took care of’ has been completely eviscerated. She made two phone calls that I can’t trace, and now, everyone involved has been flagged by the authorities.”

“Yeah, Pike hinted that she must have pulled some strings,” Bellamy said, still watching Clarke. He didn’t like how close Cage was standing next to Clarke. “But, that’s not a reason to get suspicious of her.”

“We’re not suspicious. But, it’s alarming how quickly Clarke can make a problem disappear. It’s smart to delve deeper into her past,” Monty said into the earpiece, and Bellamy suddenly realized that he had no idea where Monty even was.

They had a point, though. While Bellamy wasn’t too worried about Clarke turning out to be like everyone else in this place, they needed to stay on top of what she was up to and what all she had been a part of up until this point. The more they knew about Clarke, the easier it would be for Bellamy to play her. And, it would help them notice if Clarke suddenly caught onto them.

Bellamy tugged the earpiece out of his ear before stuffing it into his pocket, along with his phone.

As he strode back into the ballroom, Clarke noticed him immediately, smiling at him as he walked up to her.

“There you are,” she said, as she linked her arm with his. “Cage was just telling me that you two have already met.”

“Yes, it’s great to see you again,” Bellamy replied, enjoying how annoyed Cage looked that Bellamy interrupted their conversation. “And, you must be Senator Wallace. It is such an honor to meet you,” Bellamy said to Dante, extending his hand.

“The honor is mine, Mr. Blake,” Wallace replied, looking him up and down. Bellamy held his breath, wondering if after all these years Dante Wallace could recognize him. If he did, he showed no sign of it. “Will I be seeing you two at my little get together after this?” he asked, now looking back at Clarke. Bellamy noticed how Cage’s eyes widened slightly at the question.

“Well, unfortunately I’m going to be very busy shutting all of this down…” Clarke replied with a disappointed face, and Bellamy had a hard time discerning if it was genuine or not.

“I’m sure Cage wouldn’t mind helping you out,” Dante Wallace replied, and Bellamy felt Clarke grip tightly on his arm. Now, he knew it wasn’t genuine.

“That won’t be necessary,” Bellamy stepped in, and he immediately felt Clarke’s grip on his arm loosen. “I’m already staying behind to help Clarke out.” As Bellamy studied Cage’s frustrated face, he recalled how Monty referred to this guy as a harmless parasite. But, he looked far from it at this moment. Judging by the look in Cage’s eyes, Bellamy was willing to say he just made his first enemy in Arkadia.

“Oh, there was someone I wanted to introduce you to. Excuse us,” Clarke said quickly, before tugging Bellamy away. And once they were out of earshot, he heard Clarke whisper, “Thank you.”

 

Once the gala died down, Bellamy found Clarke sitting at a table in the back with a glass of wine as she looked over some sort of list.

“You didn’t have to stay late for the cleanup, did you?” Bellamy asked with a smirk as he sat down next to her.

“Absolutely not. I was lying through my teeth,” she smirked back, putting down the paper to grab another glass from behind her.

“Why, Miss Griffin, I am appalled,” Bellamy teased in mock outrage, as Clarke poured him a glass.

“Wallace is a politician. He’s lied to me far more than I’ve lied to him,” she retorted, handing him the glass.

“Well, now I’m complicit in your treachery,” he replied before taking a sip. Clarke leaned back in her seat, glancing around the room. All the overhead lights were back on, as the staff broke down the dance floor and put up the tables.

“You did not have to actually stay,” Clarke pointed out, as she propped her feet up on a chair.

“Maybe I wanted to,” Bellamy said seriously, which snapped Clarke out of the teasing demeanor she had been in. She narrowed her eyes at him slightly, now studying his face.

Then, she looked down at her hands, almost flustered… which Bellamy was not used to. Clarke was almost always perfectly composed, even when relaxed. “Well, thank you.”

They sat there in comfortable silence for a few moments, as Bellamy took in a few deep breaths. Everything that needed to happen tonight had already occurred. The others had all headed home with their own little missions for tomorrow, and there was really nothing for Bellamy to worry about.

“You never told me why you and Octavia were so fond of this charity,” Clarke said suddenly, which caught Bellamy off guard. He contemplated just blowing off the question by saying they like the people who run it, or something like that. But, he needed to be honest just in case Clarke looked into his background. It’s not like he could hide the fact that he had been in foster care… especially from someone who had the means to find out all the specifics.

“We were both in foster care for a long time,” he replied, looking at his almost empty glass. He could feel Clarke’s eyes studying him closely. “Obviously, we had someone who helped us. But, there are a lot of kids who get lost in the system.”

When he finally glanced up at Clarke, she wasn’t studying him as severely as he thought she would be. Her lips were parted slowly as she processed what Bellamy just said. “I had no idea,” she said, eyebrows slightly raised.

“Yeah, we like to keep that quiet,” he sighed as he leaned back, not taking his eyes off Clarke.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Clarke reassured, as Bellamy nodded.

“So, what is wrong with this Cage guy? He seems to like you a lot,” Bellamy teased, switching the subject. Clarke let out a groan.

“He doesn’t like me. He likes my name,” she clarified, and Bellamy almost expected her to seem bitter as she said those words… but, she just sounded disappointed. He felt a slight pang of guilt, wondering just how many times Clarke had been used. And while Bellamy wasn’t using her the same way others do, he was still using her. If she was a bad person, he wouldn’t care. But, Bellamy kind of liked Clarke. “Also, he’s a major tool,” Clarke joked, and Bellamy let out a chuckle.

“Yeah, I got that vibe,” Bellamy smirked as Clarke finished off her glass. “He was definitely sizing me up the first time we met.”

“Oh, he was sizing you up tonight, too,” Clarke said with a warm laugh, as Bellamy grinned over at her. “Because of how you helped me out, he’s probably going to hold a grudge against you until the end of time. Sorry,” Clarke said in a tone that didn’t sound like she was sorry at all.

“Doesn’t help that I’m so damn charming,” he teased, and Clarke accidentally snorted, before her face turned red with embarrassment. Bellamy burst out laughing, as Clarke playfully hit his arm.

“And modest, too,” she snapped, as Bellamy pretended to be outraged.

“Act annoyed with me all you want, I know you secretly have a soft spot for me,” he replied, as Clarke smirked and rolled her eyes.

“Miss Griffin?” Bellamy heard someone behind him say, as he turned his head to see one of the hotel’s staff members. “Mr. Jaha is waiting in the lobby for you.”

“Thank you,” Clarke said, as she moved to stand up. “Sorry, that’s my ride,” she said to Bellamy.

“I’ll walk with you,” Bellamy replied as he stood up, following Clarke out of the ballroom. He spotted Wells on the phone, looking upset about something. Clarke noticed this too, but didn’t seem surprised by it. Then, he felt Clarke’s hand on his arm.

“Thank you again,” she reiterated, looking incredibly serious as she spoke. “For, everything.” Then, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before walking over toward Wells.

Bellamy’s jaw was dropped slightly as he watched Clarke walk away, as he fought every impulse he had to touch the part of his face where Clarke’s lips had briefly touched. Bellamy had remained perfectly calm all night, not getting too worked up by anything going on around him. But, after Clarke kissed his cheek, his heart was now pounding.

Wells saw Clarke approaching and shot her a wide-eyed look. Bellamy could see Clarke’s shoulders tense up, and his gut told him something was very wrong here.

 

“Since last night, there has been speculation that Frontier Dynamics is entertaining an exclusive contract with Griffin Global. This would be a huge gain for the small corporation who has been struggling to capture the national market,” the man on the news explained, as Bellamy pressed his lips together.

He was sitting in Monty’s office, watching Frontier Dynamic’s stock slowly go up. Jasper had finally gotten his hands on the major investor list, and all four of them were all waiting for their moment to strike.

“Now, nothing has been confirmed yet. After all, there has also been a lot of buzz around Griffin Global, as many close to the corporation have speculated that there may be a change of power in the near future,” he continued, as Bellamy glanced over at Monty who looked mildly surprised to hear that.

“Are they talking about Clarke?” he asked, brows furrowed.

“Oh, yeah. People have been bombarding her with questions all week about if she came back to take her seat at Griffin Global,” Octavia groaned, eyes glued to her phone screen. Bellamy glanced back at Monty, who was pursing his lips. He knew something.

But, before Bellamy got to press further, his phone started ringing.

“Hello, Mr. Pike,” Bellamy greeted him, hearing a lot of background noise on his end.

“Mr. Blake. It seems you were right about your hunch. May I ask who exactly directed your attention to Frontier Dynamics?” he asked, voice sounding higher than usual. Jasper was raising an eyebrow at Bellamy, smirking slightly. Bellamy stayed silent, though… hoping to unnerve Pike a bit more. “It wouldn’t happen to be your date from last night?”

“I’m not saying it was or that it wasn’t. Just that I trust this hunch enough to double my investment,” Bellamy said confidently, as he heard Pike start whispering to someone.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Blake,” Pike replied quickly before hanging up. Bellamy leaned back in his chair, looking back at the tv screen. And, like clockwork, the line on the graph started shooting up.

“Griffin Global has been quite the powerful force in the market through the last two decades, thanks to its late founder, Jake Griffin,” Bellamy distantly heard the newscaster say. He took a deep breath, watching the stock continue to rise, more rapidly than it was before Pike called.

“He went all in,” Bellamy observed smugly, as the rest of the group smirked at the tv.

He could tell the announcer was getting a message in through his earpiece, and Bellamy went ahead and grabbed the investor list, getting prepared to break the bad news to the ten people who almost completely funded Pike’s hedge fund.

“We take you now to a sudden announcement from Griffin Global’s CEO, Abigail Griffin,” he announced as the screen split in half, showing the graph on one side, and Abby Griffin sitting in her office at Griffin Global.

“Hello, I am Abby Griffin. I am here to inform the public that Griffin Global is not interested in Frontier Dynamics,” she said directly, and, almost immediately, Bellamy saw the graph line dip slightly. “We were waiting until next week to make the official announcement, but our focus is instead on Frontier Dynamic’s main competitor, Paragon Unlimited.”

And, like clockwork, the graph line plunged down rapidly.

“Hello, this is Charles Pike’s office. I have some bad news about a major stock loss from today that will have a significant impact on your portfolio. Please call the office as soon as you can,” Octavia left the voicemail for the first person on Pike’s investor list.

 

“All the investors pulled out. I’m done,” Pike said frantically, hand shaking slightly as he took a sip. Bellamy was watching the feed of Thelonious Jaha’s personal study, paying close attention to Jaha’s reaction.

“I don’t understand why you came to tell me this,” Jaha replied, without a hint of emotion in his face.

“Everything I had was in that company. I’m ruined,” Pike shouted, but Jaha didn’t flinch. He just leaned back in his chair, pressing his lips together as he looked Pike up and down.

“I’m sure you will land on your feet,” he replied with a shrug, and Bellamy could see Pike’s eyes widen with anger.

“And you are going to help me, Thelonious.”

Now, Jaha was interested, as he leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk. “I have no reason to help you. Our business with each other was concluded a long time ago.”

“You owe me for that,” he snapped, brows furrowed.

“Oh, you made just as much off that deal as we did. You’ve been paid in full for your services, Pike.”

For half a second, Bellamy let himself hope that they would be stupid enough to confess right now. But, of course, Bellamy wouldn’t be that lucky.

“Perhaps for my services, but not for my silence,” Pike snapped, and Bellamy started smirking. He loved it when the trash took itself out.

“If you are trying to blackmail me, Charles, then let me remind you what a horrible mistake that is,” Jaha replied, narrowing his eyes at Pike. “You and I managed to part ways as gentlemen. Some of your closest friends were not so lucky.”

Abruptly, Pike put down his drink and stormed out of the study. Bellamy forced himself to take a deep breath before sending Jasper a text to tell him to watch the feed.

Then, he pulled his suitcase from under his bed to get into his files. He found Pike’s file and started flipping through it, looking at the photos he had gathered over the years. Most of them were of Pike with his family, but he managed to find a few from before the fall of Mt. Weather. Most of the people in these photos were people he didn’t recognize, but then he stumbled on a photo of Pike holding up a beer next to man that Bellamy definitely recognized. It was the same person in that portrait in the Griffin-Jaha estate. Jake Griffin, Clarke’s father, and deceased husband of Abby Griffin.

He pulled open a new tab, typing Jake Griffin into the search bar. According to the old articles, he died in a car crash, just days after Mt. Weather. He scrolled through photos of the accident, accompanied by information about Jake Griffin’s bold move to align Griffin Global with The Ark. There were a few photos of him with his family, and Clarke looked no older than six in each of them.

It did seem like an accident, even though authorities never found the drunk driver responsible. Bellamy had a creeping suspicion that this might be what Jaha was referring to. Unfortunately, this all happened around the same time that Bellamy’s mother died, so he had very few of his own memories to go on. But, the timing was suspicious. And, Jaha definitely had the means to make this happen, but Bellamy had doubts about the motive.

Bellamy blinked a few times, quickly exiting out of that tab. He left the feed open, watching Jaha work on his computer. Bellamy flipped around to the other cameras, trying to see where everyone else in the house was. Then, he found Clarke in one of the living rooms, drawing on her sketchpad with a strange expression on her face. Her mother was sitting on the coffee table, studying Clarke closely.

“Are you even listening to me?” Abby snapped.

“Trying not to,” Clarke muttered, and Bellamy started chuckling.

“God, why did you even come back here?” Abby yelled, and Clarke’s head snapped up.

“Because Wells needed someone here that wasn’t you or Thelonious,” Clarke snapped back, eyebrow slightly raised.

“No, you came back here to cause problems for me. Collins was bad enough for us, Clarke. And, you dropped out of med school. Now, people think you’re making a move for Griffin Global.”

“Anyone who knows anything knows I want nothing to do with that,” Clarke muttered, refocusing her attention to her sketch.

“It’s what it looks like, Clarke. And let me just tell you… the board will never support you over me,” Abby growled as she stood up. Clarke slammed her pencil down before looking back up at Abby, her lips slightly parted as she studied her mother closely.

“I came back for Wells. He’s the only person left that I give a damn about,” Clarke said, glaring her mother down as she stood up.

“Wells is just fine,” Abby snapped.

“No, he’s not,” Clarke corrected, as her mother stomped out of the room.

Bellamy leaned back into his bed, getting comfortable as he watched to confusing expression on Clarke’s face. The four of them had been digging around to figure out what was going on with Wells, with very little results. Monty went through his cell records, but nothing was out of the ordinary for what Wells usually had. His financial interactions seemed relatively normal. And Jasper was hard at work hacking into his medical files.

Clarke eventually settled back down, sitting on the couch. She went to grab her sketchpad, but instead let out a huff and laid back.

He wasn’t sure what led him to doing this, but Bellamy found himself scrolling through his phone until he found Clarke’s contact information, before hitting call.

Bellamy kept his eyes on the feed, as Clarke scrunched her face up, looking for her phone. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw Clarke’s face relax upon seeing who was calling.

“Hi, Bellamy,” Clarke said, with a small grin, as she sat back down.

“Hey, is this a bad time?” he asked, watching her get comfortable on the couch.

“No, not at all. What’s up?”

“The ceiling, probably,” Bellamy joked, badly, but it seemed to work because Clarke was cracking up. The smile on her face was so genuine, practically contagious, as Bellamy found a similar one on his face. “Sorry, bad joke. I was actually wondering if you had plans tomorrow.”

Clarke brushed her hair out of her face before biting her lip slightly. “No, I don’t. Did you have something in mind?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

The last thing Bellamy did before going to sleep was taking out the notebook Marcus gave him all those years ago. He flipped through the pages, until he found the one with Charles Pike on it. He grabbed his pen and drew a thin line through it.

He took a deep breath before shutting the notebook and tucking it away. He was one step closer.

He turned the light off, knowing that he would have a good night’s sleep for once. It had been a long time since Bellamy had gotten to cross a name off the list. He forgot how the weight on his shoulders was briefly lifted as he took out yet another person.

He didn’t let himself start planning his next move, not tonight. He didn’t let himself speculate about Wells Jaha or Jake Griffin. No, tonight was a night of victory. Instead, he planned what he would wear when he took Clarke out to dinner tomorrow night. He thought about how giddy his sister was that Pike was finally off the chessboard. He rehearsed his victory speech that he would give to Marcus.


	3. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note the updated tags: this chapter contains both smut and brief mentions of suicide.

Bellamy knew all too well how powerful secrets were. When kept, they were a controlled kind of power… and, in Bellamy and Octavia’s case, a way to get certain people to do what they wanted. But, Bellamy was more mystified by the power of a secret unleashed without a filter. It was far more powerful than a kept secret, but the chaos it creates was usually too terrifying for him to use it. Usually, being the key word here.

Bellamy had secrets of his own, just like everyone else did. Octavia had many, most of which Bellamy shared. His mother also had a few secrets of her own, but most of them went with her to the grave.

There was one person who she entrusted with her secrets: her psychiatrist, Dr. Lorelei Tsing. Dr. Tsing was notorious for her intensive files on each of her clients, which is why it bothered Bellamy so much when Aurora Blake’s file contained so little when Tsing turned it into the police, giving them exactly what they needed to rule it a suicide.

It took Bellamy years to unlearn that his mother took her own life. Marcus tried to explain that Dr. Tsing had been bribed by Jaha to alter her files to make Aurora Blake look like a typical suicide victim. But, even then, Bellamy struggled. After all, he was only ten when he found her body. Trauma like that doesn’t just disappear over time.

_“I knew your mother quite well. She wouldn’t have left you like that if she had a choice,” Marcus explained, going through the box Bellamy had kept over the years, containing important documents and photos from his childhood. Then, Marcus found the note. It wasn’t the first time he had seen it; he’d had his own copy for years now as it sits in his Mt. Weather file._

_“I’m tired of having the same argument with you,” Bellamy groaned, leaning back on his headboard, and closing his eyes. Marcus didn’t have a hard time convincing Octavia of this, but Octavia hardly remembered her._

_“Do me a favor, Bellamy. Write down the first letter in each sentence on another piece of paper,” Marcus ordered, handing Bellamy the note and a notepad. Bellamy swallowed, not wanting to read that note again. But, he knew Marcus wasn’t going to let this go until Bellamy believed._

_So, he read it and wrote down the letters like Marcus asked. It read, “Maybe one day you two will find a way to understand. Truly, I never wanted to say goodbye to you like this. When you’re older, maybe you can forgive me. Everything was just too much. Admittedly, you two deserve so much more than me. Try to make peace with this. Help each other get through this. Every moment with you two has been a gift. Really, truly, sorry.”_

_Bellamy swallowed, sucking back any tear that tried to escape his eyes. Then, he looked down at the notepad._

_“She spelled out Mt. Weather, Bellamy,” Marcus said calmly, as Bellamy stared at what he wrote down. He blinked a few times, mouth agape, as he realized that his mother gave him an answer he had been searching most of his life for. She didn’t leave this world willingly, and used her dying moments to sneak him a clue._

Bellamy snapped out of his little memory as Octavia barged in, with an annoyed look on her face.

“You have done absolutely no unpacking,” she groaned, and Bellamy started chuckling, looking around at his newly purchased home. Boxes were everywhere, but he had been too busy to actually unpack.

“How was therapy?” Bellamy changed the subject, swiveling around in his desk chair to raise an eyebrow at Octavia.

“Three sessions in and she informed me that I have a problem with holding grudges,” Octavia replied with a shrug.

“You? Who could believe that?” he asked sarcastically, as Octavia sat on top of his desk. “So, did you do what Jasper asked?”

Octavia dug into her purse before pulling out a flash drive. “She really should know better than to record these sessions,” Octavia smirked, as Bellamy pressed his lips together.

“Make sure to leak one of yours just so no one notices that you’re the only client who isn’t having their secrets exposed,” Bellamy reminded, as Octavia groaned… just like she did every single time he reminded her of this.

“You told me this could be my hit. Back off,” she snapped with a smile, before skipping off toward the kitchen.

 

As many times as Bellamy had “accidentally” run into Clarke, the most recent incident was absolutely not planned. Bellamy was sitting at lunch with Jasper and Monty, who were bickering over the color of packaging for their newest product, when Clarke strode in with Echo. She didn’t notice Bellamy, as she walked over to a table with some other people that looked vaguely familiar.

“Who is the blonde?” Bellamy asked, which snapped Jasper and Monty out of their petty fight.

“Your girlfriend, Clarke,” Jasper said with a smirk, and Bellamy started groaning.

“Not my girlfriend yet. Also, I’m clearly talking about the other blonde at the table,” Bellamy replied, narrowing his eyes at Jasper.

“Harper McIntyre,” Monty answered, his eyes fixed on Clarke’s table. Then, he waved, as Bellamy turned back around, seeing the girl he now knew as Harper waving at Monty. Bellamy made eye contact with Echo, who immediately narrowed her eyes at him. Clarke looked confused as she turned around, but her eyes lit up as soon as she spotted Bellamy. She turned and said something to her table before getting up and walking over. Bellamy stood up, as Clarke got closer.

“What are you doing here?” Clarke asked with a grin, as Bellamy pulled her in for a hug. He could see Echo raising an eyebrow from across the room, which he found unnerving. He pressed a quick kiss to Clarke’s forehead before pulling away. In the weeks since the gala, he had spent more time with Clarke, but nothing seemed to be happening. It wasn’t that Clarke wasn’t interested, because she definitely was. But, every time Bellamy had an opportunity to make a move, he chickened out. He blamed this on guilt, feeling wrong about his relationship with Clarke, since he knew exactly how it was going to end.

“Just having lunch with Jasper and Monty,” Bellamy replied, gesturing to them as they awkwardly waved to Clarke.

“Now, Monty Green, how exactly do you know Harper?” Clarke asked with a huge grin, and Bellamy swears he saw Monty start blushing.

“We just went to high school together,” Monty answered vaguely, and Bellamy looked at Clarke who absolutely was not buying it.

“Oh, it’s that Harper?” Jasper asked excitedly, as Monty tried to shush him. Clarke shot Bellamy a knowing look, and he bit his lip as he shook his head.

“Anyways,” Monty said, now turning his face completely away from Jasper to look at Clarke. “We’re throwing Bellamy a housewarming party tonight. You should come by,” he explained, as Clarke tilted her head to look at Bellamy.

“I did not agree to this,” Bellamy clarified and Clarke started chuckling.

“So, you’re not throwing a rager at your new house?” she teased, and Jasper snorted.

“Absolutely not,” Bellamy said quickly.

“But, I am,” Jasper said victoriously, as Bellamy started groaning.

“Then, I wouldn’t miss it,” Clarke said excitedly. “I’ll see you all tonight.”

Bellamy watched her as she walked back to her table, ignoring the way Monty and Jasper were gaping at him. “Stop it, you two,” Bellamy groaned as he turned around, but Jasper had his head propped up on his hands, grinning like an idiot.

“You two are so cute together,” Jasper teased, as Bellamy clenched his jaw.

“Although, not everyone thinks so,” Monty mumbled, glancing over Bellamy’s shoulder at Clarke’s table.

“Is Echo still glaring at me?” he mumbled, and Jasper started nodding.

“Homegirl has really got it out for you,” Monty said, shrugging slightly. “I know you weren’t watching the feed last night, but holy shit, she went off about you.”

“What’s wrong with me?” Bellamy asked defensively, as he slunk back in his chair.

“She’s just warning Clarke that you’re not really her type,” Jasper sugar coated it, as Bellamy narrowed his eyes at him. “She may have accused you of being a social-climbing parasite, or something like that.”

“Which is rich coming from her,” Monty muttered into his glass. Bellamy raised an eyebrow, wondering what exactly he was alluding to. “Like, before she and Clarke became friends, Echo was a nobody. But, two years of friendship, and Echo is invited to almost every major event. Both in Polis and here.”

“Interesting,” Bellamy sighed, as he picked up his menu. “If she keeps this up, we may have to deal with her.”

 

“How long did that buy us?” Bellamy whispered as he jogged up the hallway, where Octavia was picking the lock of Dr. Tsing’s office door.

“Probably only a few minutes. Good thing I know exactly where to look,” Octavia replied with a smug look on her face. Then, she clicked the door open as Bellamy flickered his flashlight back on. “Watch the door,” Octavia ordered, as she snatched the flashlight from Bellamy’s hand and stormed into the office.

Bellamy kept his eyes fixed on the hallway, as he heard Octavia rummage through one of the file cabinets. He was also watching the clock, not sure how long the security guard would remain distracted.

“Uh, Bell?” Octavia said, and Bellamy’s head turned, brows now furrowed in concern. “Clarke has a file.”

“Well, she’s a patient here too. We knew that,” he whispered, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

“No, these are archived files. This Clarke Griffin file is from 2000 to 2005. Tsing isn’t a child psychiatrist,” Octavia explained, and Bellamy could feel his chest start to ache. They had all been struggling to put together Clarke’s life story, since so many of her records were impossible to find. Bellamy knew that her family had a pretty good hacker on their payroll who did a good job of covering up their tracks. But, that made it difficult for them to figure out where Clarke fit in all of this. Maybe her file would give them some answers.

“Grab the file,” Bellamy ordered, as Octavia pulled it out of the cabinet. Then, she grabbed another, which was his mother’s file.

 

Bellamy liked to believe that he was prepared for anything. After all, he spent years planning for this. He should have mapped out every possible way it could go wrong and have a solution to get the plan back on track.

But, he always had a blind spot when it came to Octavia.

“She invited him?” Bellamy muttered, not taking his eyes off Lincoln as he strolled in. Jasper looked nervous, like he was scared to answer the question. “I thought I told you to tell me if she was hanging out around him again.”

“It’s harmless. They’re just friends,” Jasper whispered, before taking another sip of his drink.

“It’s not harmless. She’s going to get attached. He’s her childhood crush,” Bellamy growled, bracing his hands on both sides of the counter. “She can’t get attached to him if we’re going to stick to the plan.”

Of course, Octavia appeared at this moment, rushing over to greet Lincoln. Bellamy let out a sigh, seeing all the ways this could possibly go wrong. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to the fact that they used to live in Arkadia. And, of course, Octavia is dead set on reconnecting with the one person who now recognized them both.

“Bellamy,” he heard Monty shout, before Bellamy turned his head around. Monty was gesturing for him to follow, and Bellamy let out a sigh.

Monty led him into Bellamy’s bedroom before shutting the door behind him. “There’s nothing new in Aurora’s file that will help us,” Monty explained, before plopping down on Bellamy’s bed.

“You took me away from my party to tell me that?” Bellamy asked, raising his eyebrows.

“No, I brought you in here to talk about Clarke’s file,” Monty said with a grave expression on his face, as Bellamy leaned back against the wall, furrowing his eyebrows. “Now, we know that Tsing is in Jaha’s pocket, which explains why Abby would trust her with Clarke.”

“Get to the point, Monty,” Bellamy snapped, crossing his arms.

“Alright, here’s the cliff notes version: Clarke remembered some pretty damning things from the week of Mt. Weather, and my guess is that Dr. Tsing was paid handsomely to convince a seven-year-old Clarke Griffin that it was all in her head.”

“Holy shit. What kind of things did she remember?” he asked, wondering if Clarke still remembered these things, or if they succeeded in convincing Clarke she was wrong.

“The one that gave me chills was that her last memory of her father was when he was leaving to meet someone. It was hours after the explosion, and Clarke was listening in on a phone call he was making, confirming plans to meet with a woman named Aurora,” Monty explained with a grim expression on his face, and Bellamy felt his stomach drop. He vaguely remembers his mother making a call that morning… it must have been to Jake Griffin.

Bellamy swallowed, now looking down at the floor as he processed this. “If Dr. Tsing’s notes are to be believed, which is a big if, Clarke fixated on this memory. I mean, her dad did just die, and she was really young. She wanted answers,” Monty continued, as Bellamy finally looked up.

“Which would make Jaha and Griffin nervous.”

“Nervous enough that years later they put Clarke in a psychiatric hospital for a few months back in 2005,” Monty said suddenly. “And, they’ve kept her at arm’s length ever since, putting her in boarding school or sending her to Polis.”

“They think she knows something.”

“They know she does. There’s dozens of pages missing from her file, which I can only speculate contained much more damning accounts of what happened.”

“We’ll update the others in the morning,” Bellamy decided, before pushing himself off of the wall to walk back into his party. He took a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm. But, he could feel the rage start to flow throughout his body. He couldn’t believe these people… he wondered how Abby Griffin slept at night knowing that she tried to convince her daughter she was crazy just to save her own skin. And poor Clarke. In a lot of ways, she was like Bellamy… thrown into this chaos as a child, living with the consequences of Mt. Weather without deserving them. Meanwhile, Thelonious Jaha and Abby Griffin lived their lives like nothing happened.

By the time Bellamy worked his way back into the kitchen, the party had picked up. He saw Miller and Murphy off in the corner, and he offered them a wave before ducking into the living room to find Octavia. However, she was nowhere to be seen… and neither was Lincoln.

“Someone isn’t in the party mood,” Bellamy heard someone say, causing him to jump slightly. Clarke chuckled at his reaction, before pulling him in for a hug.

“No, I was just looking for my sister,” Bellamy explained, as Clarke cocked her head.

“She just walked out the door a few minutes ago,” Clarke replied, and Bellamy let out a huff.

“I’m assuming she was with a really tall guy with tattoos?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yep. Didn’t peg you for the overprotective brother type,” Clarke said with a smirk.

“I’m not,” Bellamy replied quickly.

“Clearly,” Clarke smirked, looking down at his hands, which were clenched in fists. Bellamy forced himself to loosen up, trying to keep from laughing at how Clarke was looking at him. “Your new house is great, by the way.”

“Thank you. I’m excited about it,” Bellamy replied, looking around the living room. He really did like the house. It was a shame he wouldn’t get to live in it for that long.

Then, he noticed a strange expression on Clarke’s face as she glanced over Bellamy’s shoulder. Bellamy followed her gaze to see that she was looking at Roan. “Something wrong?” he asked, furrowing his brows. He knew that Wells had a problem with Roan, but he had gotten the impression that Clarke and Roan were sort of friends.

“No, just forgot you and Roan know each other,” Clarke said, shaking her head slightly as she forced a smile. “Excuse me, I need to talk to him about something,” Clarke continued as she walked past Bellamy. He turned his head, watching the smile on Roan’s face fade as Clarke approached him.

 

Bellamy didn’t like going to parties. Especially not with his friends. One of the reasons why was sitting right in front of him, as Jasper struggled to string a coherent sentence together. Monty had already passed out in the guest room, leaving Bellamy to wrangle Jasper all by himself.

“Clarke!” Jasper shouted excitedly as Clarke walked into the kitchen. She started smiling, looking amused… when Bellamy was anything but.

“Someone had a little too much to drink, huh?” Clarke asked, as she patted Jasper’s head. Jasper leaned against her side, shooting Bellamy a smirk.

“I’m trying to convince him it’s time to go to bed,” Bellamy explained, as Clarke pressed her lips together, suppressing a laugh.

“As soon as I go to bed, the party is over,” Jasper slurred, and Bellamy groaned.

“Sweetie, I’m the last guest here. The party is over,” Clarke said calmly, as Jasper started to pout.

“Fine,” he muttered as he tried to stand up. Clarke quickly grabbed him as he stumbled, and Bellamy raced around the table to help him out.

“We’re not going to be able to get you upstairs,” Bellamy groaned. “You’re sleeping in my room, then.”

Slowly, Clarke and Bellamy walked Jasper down the hallway toward his bedroom, listening to Jasper mumble nonsense.

“Clarke, you are just so pretty. Like a princess,” Jasper said with a huge grin, as Clarke narrowed her eyes at him. “Bellamy, back me up.”

“Clarke, you’re pretty like a princess,” Bellamy humored him, and Clarke burst out laughing.

“I think he likes you,” Jasper whispered loudly to Clarke.

“Jasper, I can hear you,” Bellamy groaned, as Clarke raised her eyebrows at him. By now, they were in Bellamy’s room, trying to get Jasper onto the bed.

“No, you can’t. I’m whispering,” Jasper said, closing his eyes as he spoke. Bellamy shot Clarke a look, before gesturing with his head toward the door. She rolled her eyes as she followed him out of there. Bellamy quietly shut the door behind him, before walking back toward the living room with Clarke.

“Sorry about him,” Bellamy said.

“Don’t be. I like Jasper. Drunk him is adorable,” she said with a grin. Bellamy swallowed, nodding slightly as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

“He’s less adorable in the morning,” he joked. Clarke chuckled slightly, now looking down at the ground. “Hey, can I ask you something kind of personal?” he asked suddenly, as Clarke’s head popped back up and nodded. “What’s going on with Roan?”

Clarke swallowed, before plopping down on Bellamy’s couch. “It’s a long story,” she said seriously, as Bellamy sat down next to her, studying her face closely.

“I’ve got time,” he shrugged, and Clarke opened her mouth to say something in protest, but quickly shut it. Then, she looked at Bellamy with furrowed brows.

“It’s about Wells,” Clarke whispered, as Bellamy turned his body to face in Clarke’s direction.

“What you tell me stays between us,” Bellamy reassured, as he could see Clarke argue with herself about whether or not to trust Bellamy. This was a good test to see how close Bellamy had managed to get to her, to be honest. Clarke was simultaneously easy to read and impossible to read. He could almost always tell how she was feeling, but never what she was thinking.

“Has Roan told you anything about how he got his job with my family?” she asked, and Bellamy shook his head, leaning forward slightly. “Thelonious offered it to him along with an obscene paycheck in exchange for… his discretion.”

Bellamy’s eyes widened, not that he was shocked Thelonious would do something like that. He was just shocked to hear these words coming out of Clarke’s mouth.

“You see, Wells is going to take over The Ark one day,” Clarke continued, now looking down at her hands. “Which means he needs to sustain a certain kind of image.”

“So, Roan found something out about Wells and now Thelonious is paying him to keep his mouth shut?” Bellamy asked, as Clarke bit her lip.

“Not exactly,” she replied, before letting out a breath. “You see, before Roan worked for us, he was kind of Wells’ boyfriend,” Clarke said hesitantly, and Bellamy blinked a few times, wondering how his files about Roan and Wells could be so off. “When Thelonious found out, he offered Roan a check and a job to call things off… and Roan took it.”

“That’s horrible,” Bellamy said, grabbing Clarke’s hand, as she shook her head.

“Just another day in the Griffin-Jaha household,” she muttered, and Bellamy suddenly wondered if they had done something like this to her before. She was treating this like it was a normal occurrence, and that would explain why Monty had such a hard time finding her past relationships.

“Poor Wells.”

“Bad enough that he got his heartbroken, but he also has to see the person who did it every single day,” Clarke continued, as she gripped Bellamy’s hand tighter.

“At least he has you.” Clarke smiled softly, looking down at where their hands were holding each other.

“Thanks,” she said, before looking up at Bellamy. He could feel his heart start to pound, as he looked back at her. Bellamy was rarely completely alone with Clarke. There was always someone off in the background, or they were in public. “Sorry I just dumped all that onto you,” she muttered, shaking her head slightly.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he reassured, not knowing how his hand had moved up to her shoulder. She swallowed, nodding… and Bellamy could tell this whole thing with Wells had been eating away at her. Then, she rested her head on Bellamy’s shoulder, and Bellamy had to take another deep breath. “If that had happened to Octavia, I doubt I’d handle it as well as you are,” he continued, snaking his arm around Clarke.

“So, you are the overprotective brother type,” she teased, tilting her head up to smirk at Bellamy.

He threw his head back on the couch and let out a sigh, smirking slightly. “Okay, maybe a little bit,” he conceded, and Clarke chuckled softly. Then, he looked back down at Clarke, a little overwhelmed by how close she was. She was looking right back at him with sincere eyes. And maybe it was because he was still a little buzzed, because he was too tired to think better of it, or, most terrifying of all, because he genuinely wanted to, but Bellamy leaned down and slowly pressed his lips to Clarke’s.

She was hesitant at first, almost shocked. But, she quickly tilted her head and closed her eyes, pressing her soft lips firmly against his. Bellamy’s brain turned off as he lost himself in Clarke, feeling her mouth open slightly, as he pulled her closer. He could hardly focus on how her hand was cupping his face, when the only thing consuming his thoughts was how right her lips felt on his.

He didn’t realize how addicting it was until Clarke pulled away and he was trying to catch his breath, with his forehead now pressed against hers.

Like most things involving Clarke Griffin, kissing her was nothing like what he expected.

 

“She’s late,” Bellamy growled, looking around.

“I tracked her phone. She’s almost here,” Monty tried to explain, but Bellamy wasn’t hearing any of it. Octavia was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago. They were cutting it really close when it came to switching out the DVD’s.

“If this has anything to do with Lincoln, I’m going to yell at her,” Bellamy snapped, before hearing the sound of his sister jogging up to him. His eyes widened as he looked her up and down. At least she looked the part. “No more distractions,” he growled, and Octavia narrowed her eyes back at him.

“You can yell at me later. I’ve got work to do,” she snapped, before brushing past him. Bellamy followed after her, making sure to keep his face calm as to not arouse suspicion. Thelonious Jaha was throwing another charity brunch this weekend, and its keynote speaker was Dr. Lorelei Tsing, who was in for a rude awakening when she tried to play her presentation.

Bellamy linked his arm with Octavia’s as they walked over toward the tent where Tsing’s DVD would be played from. If Octavia had arrived earlier, they would have had more opportunities to switch it out when it was unattended. But, as it got closer and closer to the start of brunch, there were more and more people coming in and out of this tent.

“Fuck,” Octavia whispered once they got close enough to see who was in there. Clarke was organizing some papers, not even noticing that Bellamy and Octavia were just five yards away. Bellamy let out a frustrated sigh, giving Octavia an annoyed glare. Then, he gestured with his head for Octavia to sneak around to the other side of the tent.

“Hey, Clarke,” Bellamy said casually once Octavia was out of sight. Her eyes flickered up to him, followed by a huge grin.

“I didn’t know you were coming to this,” Clarke said, walking over to him. Once she stepped out of the tent, Bellamy could see Octavia creep in from the other side.

“Oh, I wouldn’t miss an event like this,” Bellamy said with a smirk, feeling a bit mischievous that he knew this would probably be the last time Jaha agrees to host a charity brunch like this one.

“And here I thought you just wanted to see me,” Clarke teased, and Bellamy just shrugged.

“You’re okay,” he joked, seeing Octavia finally put the disk into the laptop. Clarke stepped toward Bellamy, and he pulled her in for a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Once Octavia was out of the tent, he loosened his grip. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to distract you from whatever it is you were doing,” he apologized, and Clarke rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, I’ve got to get back to work. But, I’ll see you after?” she asked, walking backwards toward the tent. Bellamy smirked and nodded, and Clarke turned around and got back to work.

Bellamy then found Octavia and started guiding her toward their table. “That better be the only screw up for today,” he muttered, and Octavia elbowed him right in the stomach.

“Unlike you, I like having a life outside of this,” she snapped, as they took their seats. Monty and Jasper were both looking at them with strange expressions on their face. “I didn’t screw it up. Stop looking at me like that,” she growled, and they both raised their eyebrows and looked down at the table.

“Hello, everyone,” he heard Jaha’s voice over the mic, and immediately looked up to the stage. It was a little bit windy outside, so the projector screen behind him was moving a little bit too much. But, other than that, this looked like another picture-perfect Griffin-Jaha affair. “Thank you so much for coming to support our little event.” Abby Griffin was standing behind him with a huge smile on her face. And, right next to her, was Dr. Lorelei Tsing. Bellamy glanced around, noticing that Wells was absent, which was almost unheard of for these events.

Clarke was standing off to the side of the stage, and Bellamy noticed that Cage Wallace was right by her side, whispering something to her. That didn’t sit well with Bellamy.

“As many of you know, our family is dedicated to helping those in need,” Abby Griffin started to say into her mic, and he had to cover his mouth to keep from smirking. “One of our closest friends, Dr. Lorelei Tsing, has started an organization that focuses on mental health in lower income school systems. She has a little presentation for us.”

Bellamy glanced over at Clarke, who was now finding her way to her seat, jaw clenched. He wondered what all Clarke remembered from her therapy with Dr. Tsing all those years ago, if she harbored any resentment toward her, or if it was successful and Clarke believed all the lies that Tsing convinced her of.

“In my most recent book, I break down how mental health problems tend to slip through the cracks at an early age,” Dr. Tsing started, and Bellamy could see a wave of nods from the crowd. “With the help of Diana Sydney, we traveled the country, collecting interviews and stats from dozens of schools. Today, I would like to show you what we found.” Then, Dr. Tsing moved off the stage as Clarke used the remote to start the video.

Thanks to Jasper, the first part of it was the actual video that Tsing had put together. Bellamy leaned back in his seat, loving how silent everyone there was as they hung on every word the narrator in the video was saying.

Then, there was a slight glitch in the video, and then Jasper’s video took over. The words “Arkadia Exposed” flashed across the screen in bold letters. Bellamy nudged Octavia, to remind her to keep her smirking to a minimum during this take down.

It flashed to Dr. Tsing’s office, where he saw Charles Pike’s wife sitting across from the camera. “Honestly, I really do love him. But, when I’m with him, I can’t help but think about someone else,” Mrs. Pike said, and Bellamy could feel the entire room tense up. “The worst is when I’m thinking about his brother,” she confessed, and Bellamy could hear outraged gasps from several people.

Then, it switched to Echo’s therapy session. “I’m grateful it was just a scare. I can’t even begin to guess who the father would be,” she muttered, throwing her head back on the couch. Bellamy glanced over his shoulder to see Echo’s jaw slightly dropped, as her face was bright red.

“What the hell is this?” he heard Abby Griffin shout, and quickly turned his head back around so he didn’t miss any more of the action.

“Oh my God, these are all online,” he heard someone in the back shout, and Dr. Tsing’s eyes widened.

“I wouldn’t say he’s controlling. But, he does have a tendency to try and tell me what to do,” he heard Octavia’s voice echo from the video, and he glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow. She just shrugged. At least they remembered to put Octavia in there.

“Clarke, turn this off!” Abby Griffin yelled, as Clarke frantically stood up, starting to move toward the tent where the DVD player was.

“Things were better when she was still in Polis,” Abby Griffin said in the video, and Clarke froze, jaw dropped slightly as she looked at the screen. “I hardly ever had to speak to her. But now, it’s a constant battle to have a civil conversation with her. It disgusts me how ungrateful she is for everything I’ve done for her.”

“Clarke,” Abby said, running over to her to grab the remote, but Clarke held it out of her mother’s reach, as the video played on.

“Some days, I wonder why Jake and I tried so hard to have Clarke,” was the last thing heard from the video, before Jaha yanked out the plug and jogged back to the stage.

“That was taken out of context,” Abby pleaded, but Bellamy couldn’t see Clarke’s face, since her back was to him.

“What the hell was that?” Jaha shouted as he stormed toward Dr. Tsing, who was on the other side of the stage with a horrified look on her face. Bellamy looked around, seeing a few of the people in the video escaping out the back.

“I get to cross Tsing’s name off the list,” Octavia whispered, and Bellamy pressed his lips together.

“Those recordings were for my own personal files. Someone must have hacked into my computer,” Tsing explained frantically, but more people were storming over to her.

“You didn’t have to put that particular clip on there. We’re trying not to hurt Clarke, remember?” Bellamy muttered, glancing over at Jasper.

Bellamy could see Clarke start to walk toward the back, as Abby followed behind her, nearly tripping over herself to keep up. Clarke’s face was stoic as she stormed out, and Bellamy felt guilty that Clarke had to hear those words out of her own mother’s mouth.

“We needed Abby in there, and this was the only damning thing she said,” Jasper whispered, and Bellamy let out a sigh.

Jaha was now leading Tsing away from everyone else, with a furious expression on his face. Abby stormed back in, with a look Bellamy could only describe as murderous on her face.

“You are finished,” Abby snapped, as Jaha left Lorelei to pull Abby away. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?”

“Abby, not here,” Jaha reminded, pulling her by the arm.

“Get those recordings back or so help me God,” she shouted, before Jaha gestured for Dax to come help hold Abby back.

 

 

“Did I miss it?” Octavia asked excitedly as she plopped down on the couch next to Bellamy. Jasper had put the main camera up on the tv screen, giving them a nice view of Abby Griffin pacing back and forth near the front door.

“No, Clarke hasn’t come back yet,” Monty explained, as he flipped through the other cameras on his laptop. Bellamy noticed that Wells was missing from all the cameras, and wondered where he had been all day.

Bellamy was also worried about Clarke. It’s been hours since Tsing’s video, and Clarke had yet to return home. She also wasn’t responding to his texts or calls. “You two went too far,” Bellamy groaned, glancing at Jasper and Octavia.

“All the other stuff Abby said in the recordings were boring. A lot of talking about how stressed she is or about how she’s having a hard time sleeping,” Jasper explained, as Bellamy narrowed his eyes at him.

“Plus, what Abby said about Clarke is all anyone is talking about. Not only have we turned public opinion against Tsing, but also Abby Griffin. Two birds, one stone,” Octavia said with a shrug, and Bellamy sort of understood. Clarke was pretty well loved in Arkadia, making her the ideal victim to inspire such an outraged reaction from the media. But, it didn’t make the guilty feeling in Bellamy’s chest go away. He wouldn’t feel better until he knew that Clarke was doing okay.

“Jaha is being shady,” Monty said quickly, turning his screen so everyone could see. They could barely make him out, since they were looking through a window to see him pacing outside on the phone.

“Talking on the phone is hardly shady,” Octavia muttered.

“It is when it’s a burner phone and he’s where no one in the house can hear him,” Monty snapped, and now he had Bellamy’s attention.

“You think he’s ordering a hit?” Jasper joked, but no one laughed in response, because that was an all too real possibility. Then, they all heard the front door open on the big screen, and turned their heads back around to see Clarke slowly walk into the house.

“Clarke, where the hell have you been?” Abby said frantically, walking toward Clarke, who took a cautious step back, eyeing her mother up and down with nothing but disdain on her face. They could make out the sound of someone running down the stairs, and Bellamy glanced over at Monty’s laptop to see Wells heading toward them.

“I had to make some phone calls,” Clarke answered vaguely, and that absolutely did not account for the several hours that she was completely off the map. She brushed past Abby, who had a nervous look on her face. Jasper flipped over to the camera that covered their living room that Clarke was now walking into. She looked exactly like she did when she stormed out of the charity brunch earlier that day, not betraying any emotion.

Abby followed her, and Wells quickly strode over to intercept Abby from getting too close to Clarke. At some point, Jaha came back inside, observing the interaction with interest as he leaned against the door.

“Clarke, you need to understand that the recording was from a very difficult day. That’s obviously not how I feel. I was just venting,” Abby explained, pushing past Wells who had a defeated expression on his face, who just plopped down on the couch, pressing his lips together.

“Can you spare me the lies? There’s no one to impress here,” Clarke snapped, eyes narrowed at her mother.

“Clarke, your mother is trying to apologize,” Jaha snapped with a stern voice, and Clarke burst out laughing.

“That woman hasn’t said the words ‘I’m sorry’ since the day my dad died,” Clarke snapped back with a terrifying fake smile. “Now, if you will all excuse me, I need to get a few of my things,” she said, before making her way toward the stairs.

“You know, Clarke, your therapy recordings are on that website too. It’s not like you didn’t say horrible things about me,” Abby snapped, which caused Clarke to turn around quickly. To be fair, Clarke did say some horrible things about Abby in those sessions, based on what Jasper told Bellamy. He couldn’t bring himself to watch Clarke’s therapy sessions… it felt like too much of an invasion of privacy, especially considering all the other ways Bellamy was messing with her life.

“And, I meant every word,” Clarke said with a dark smile, as Abby turned back to look at Thelonious, who had an angry expression on his face.

“So, what? Are you just going to throw your temper tantrum and run back to Polis?” Abby snapped, crossing her arms.

“Absolutely not,” Clarke snapped, now stepping toward her mother who was taking steps backwards. “Because that’s exactly what you’re secretly hoping I’ll do.”

“Oh damn,” Jasper smirked, before Octavia shushed him.

“It’s just now getting good,” Octavia snapped, and Bellamy shook his head, before returning his attention to the screen.

“And what exactly are you planning on doing here, Clarke? Throwing more charity events and doing your little sketches?” Jaha said, now stepping toward Clarke. Wells started groaning from the couch, which Bellamy had to smirk at. He could only imagine how many fights in this house looked like this.

“You’re right. I should really find something more worthwhile to spend my time doing,” Clarke smirked at her mother, whose face went pale.

“Clarke,” Abby said in a pleading voice, but Clarke was already halfway up the stairs. Wells followed after her, and Bellamy started watching Monty’s screen, seeing Wells jog down the hallway and into Clarke’s room. But, his attention snapped back to the tv when he heard Jaha’s voice.

“Let it be. Clarke will cool down. We have bigger things to worry about,” Jaha said, and Abby let out a sigh.

“Have they found Lorelei yet?” she asked, and Bellamy’s chest started to tighten.

“It’ll be taken care of,” Jaha said, as he patted Abby’s shoulder. Bellamy glanced around at his friends, whose eyes were widened.

“He doesn’t mean…” Jasper said, and Bellamy bit his lip, looking back at the screen.

“Jaha wouldn’t be that stupid. After all, Abby was threatening Lorelei in front of a lot of witnesses. It would be reckless to do that, when anyone with half a brain would point fingers at them,” Monty explained, and Bellamy let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. He was all for Lorelei Tsing getting what was coming to her, but he didn’t want that fate for her.

 

Bellamy was back at his house by the time Clarke called him back, and he didn’t want to admit that he had been obsessively checking his phone to see if she had gotten back to him.

“Hey, how are you doing?” Bellamy asked, now pacing in his bedroom.

“I’ve had better days,” Clarke said in a joking tone. “Not crazy about days where a news crew is right outside my house.” Bellamy hadn’t even considered that, although he should have. Abby and Clarke were basically Arkadian royalty, so the drama from today’s incident would certainly lead to a spike in news ratings.

“I’m sorry. Where are you now?”

“Driving around. I’m gonna check into a hotel soon. Don’t really want to be home right now, you know?”

“Well, you could come stay with me,” Bellamy suggested without thinking.

“No, I wouldn’t want to impose,” Clarke said with a sigh.

“It’s not a big deal. And I’m worried about you,” he reassured, knowing this was probably a bad idea. But, he didn’t like the idea of Clarke being all alone tonight.

“Okay,” she replied, and then Bellamy’s heart started pounding. He glanced around his room, seeing how many of his files were sitting out. Once Clarke got off the phone, Bellamy frantically started piling all things related to his revenge scheme and tucked them away in his safe. He shot his friends a text to tell them not to show up unannounced to his house or to text him anything about what is going on with the Griffin-Jaha house.

When Clarke showed up at his door, he let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. She had changed since earlier, now wearing just jeans and a sweater… looking a little bit more like the real Clarke.

“Thank you,” was the first thing out of Clarke’s mouth as she stepped into Bellamy’s house.

“Hey, it’s no problem at all,” Bellamy reassured as he pulled Clarke into a hug. She buried her face into his chest, as Bellamy ran his fingers through her hair, trying to make her feel even a little bit better. “Want something to drink?” he offered, and Clarke shook her head. He led her into the living room, watching her facial expressions carefully. She looked a lot different than she did on the feed, much calmer, less forced. “Want to talk about it?”

“I mean, there’s not much to talk about. I’m sure you’ve seen all the videos,” Clarke said with a shrug.

“No, I didn’t watch them,” he reassured. Her eyes flickered up to him in confusion as he let out a sigh. “Although, from what I saw at the brunch, your mother is a piece of work.”

“You can say she’s a bitch. I won’t be offended,” she said with a slight chuckle, and Bellamy couldn’t help but laugh along. “And, she’s said far worse. To my face even,” Clarke shrugged, and Bellamy couldn’t imagine what could be worse than what she said in the recording.

“Are you okay?” he asked earnestly, still standing because she was too.

“No, but this doesn’t even crack the top ten worst things that have happened to me. I’ll be fine,” she said quickly, and Bellamy let out a sigh. “How are you doing?” Clarke asked suddenly, and Bellamy blinked a few times, wondering what she was referring to. Then, he remembered that Octavia used her therapy sessions to complain about him.

“Not bad. She needed to vent, and it wasn’t like she was that vicious about it,” he shrugged it off, knowing all too well that most of what Octavia said in those appointments were just for the scandal in the leaked videos.

“Hmm. How mature of you,” Clarke said, tilting her head slightly with a small smile. Bellamy smirked, as he sat down on the couch, gesturing for Clarke to do the same. He put his arm around Clarke as she rested her head on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before resting his head on top of hers.

“I will say that Jasper got a kick out of how dramatic the charity brunch was,” Bellamy joked, and Clarke started giggling.

“Probably looked just like reality tv,” she joked, and Bellamy clenched his eyes shut, chuckling… because that’s exactly how it looked. Abby Griffin looked like she was straight out of the cast of one of the Real Housewives shows. “Were you at least a little bit entertained?” Clarke asked in a teasing tone, glancing up at him.

“Nah, I was too busy worrying about you,” he replied.

“Aww,” Clarke teased, poking Bellamy in the side.

“Stop,” he said in a playful tone, grabbing her hand so she couldn’t poke him anymore.

“Make me,” she teased while giggling, and Bellamy crashed his lips into hers. She opened her mouth almost immediately, letting Bellamy moan into her mouth as he deepened the kiss. Clarke turned herself slightly so she didn’t strain her neck as she kissed him back, hand now on the back of his neck, pulling him toward her.

“I win,” he whispered against her lips, having a hard time hiding his smirk. Clarke bit his bottom lip, letting her hand move up his neck so her fingers could tangle themselves in his hair. His hand found her waist, pulling her closer to him.

“You sure about that?” she teased, before pressing her lips against his, pushing him backwards as she moved to straddle his lap. His hands quickly moved to her lower back, pulling her body as close to his as he could manage, while her tongue tried to find his. Both her hands were now gripping both sides of his face, as she moaned into his mouth. When her tongue finally met his, Bellamy could feel chills going up his spine.

His hands started moving up her back, sliding under her sweater, feeling her warm bare skin beneath his fingertips. Clarke started pressing kisses down his cheek toward his jaw, and Bellamy let his eyes flutter shut, loving the feel of having Clarke like this.

“Okay, you win,” he conceded breathlessly, feeling Clarke smirk against his throat before resuming her kissing.

She sat up slightly, running her fingers through his hair before pressing a peck to his lips. Bellamy leaned forward as she pulled away, suddenly desperate for her lips again. “And what exactly do I win?” she asked with a devious smile.

“Whatever the hell you want,” he replied, letting his hands move higher up her back. Clarke bit her lip, studying Bellamy’s face as he swallowed. Then, she leaned down to start kissing up his neck, stopping right below his ear.

“Well, I want you,” she whispered, letting her lips graze his ear as she spoke. He could feel his pants tighten at those words, and a small whimper escaped his lips. He gripped her hair, gently tugging to pull her off his neck long enough for him to crash his lips into hers. He could feel her grinding slowly on his lap as he moaned into her mouth, overwhelmed by his sudden urge to take her right here and now.

It had been a long time since Bellamy was in a situation like this with someone, and it was starting to cloud his mind. He was ignoring the little voices in his head reminding him to take this slow or that this wasn’t really real. All he could think was that he wanted Clarke and that she wanted him. That she had a horrible day and he could make her feel so good. That he wanted to know what she sounded like while moaning his name.

So, he pushed them off the couch, pulling Clarke toward his bedroom. It took them a while to get there, since Clarke kept stopping him to kiss him. Just feet away from his bedroom door, he had Clarke up against the wall, undoing her jeans as he pressed biting kisses down her neck.

Her neck smelled so good. He wondered if it was just her perfume or shampoo… or if Clarke just naturally smelled this intoxicating.

By the time they actually stepped into his room, Bellamy was already without a shirt, and Clarke was without her shoes and pants. He immediately started tugging her sweater off, feeling overwhelmed by just how many clothes were still needing to be ripped off.

“Fuck,” rolled off his tongue as soon as Clarke was down to her bra and panties, as he eyed her round breasts with interest. His hands reached for them instinctively, as he cupped her bra. Clarke was watching his eyes closely when he looked up at her, mouth slightly ajar.

She started to undo his pants, as he reached behind her to fumble with the clasp of her bra. Once she unzipped his jeans, she pulled him toward him to press a searing kiss to his lips. This one was fast, hungry, and so very dirty. He grunted into her mouth, feeling Clarke push his pants down. He helped her, knowing as soon as he was undressed, he could have her completely.

He loved the way her eyes lingered on the growing bulge in his briefs, so full of desire. Bellamy pulled her toward the bed, swallowing as she climbed on top of him. He could feel her wet arousal through her panties as she grinded onto him. He lifted his hips upwards, giving her a small taste of what she was in for, and the whimper that slipped off her lips was easily the sexiest noise he had ever heard.

His hands found her hips, as she reached behind herself to finish unhooking her bra. His jaw slightly dropped as the bra slipped off her, wondering if he had ever been able to touch such beautiful breasts. He cupped them immediately, moaning softly at the sensation of her soft breasts filling up his large hands. It was like they were made to be caressed by his hands.

He quickly flipped her onto her back, kissing a line down her chest, as both his hands squeezed her pale breasts. Clarke let out a soft sigh, arching her back slightly at the touch.

“Bellamy,” she whimpered, as his lips found her nipple, pressing gentle kisses around it. His eyes flickered up to hers, loving how desperately she was looking at him. He ran his tongue around her nipple, not taking his eyes off hers, before he let his lips envelop her nipple, sucking gently as Clarke let out a loud moan.

His hand was fast at work massaging the other breast, gently pinching and rubbing her other nipple. Her hands were now in his hair, digging into his scalp with every gentle suck.

“So sexy,” he mumbled, before kissing his way over to her other breast, savoring how quickly her chest was rising and falling for him. He made fast work of sucking on the other nipple, while his other hand was now massaging the breast he was just on, feeling his own saliva still on her skin. He glanced up at Clarke, whose eyes were shut and lips slightly parted. He let his hand abandon her breast as it travelled down her stomach. He could feel her catch her breath as his fingers assessed her arousal over her panties. She was soaking wet already, and Bellamy just wanted to feel her.

“Please,” she whispered, eyes fluttering open as Bellamy teased the elastic of her panties.

“Please, what?” he teased, as Clarke bit her lip. “I’ll do anything you want, baby. Just tell me, very specifically, what that is,” he growled, before pressing a chaste kiss to her nipple. He could feel her shudder, as he ground his own erection into the mattress.

“I want you inside of me, Bellamy,” Clarke replied, voice low. Bellamy swallowed, feeling his cock twitch at those beautiful words. He shot up, tugging her panties off quickly, before directing his attention to getting himself completely naked.

Clarke was on him as soon as his cock was free of his briefs, climbing on top of him with hungry kisses. He moaned into her mouth, before rolling her back onto her back.

“Patience,” Bellamy said with a smirk, seeing how eager her eyes were as they looked him up and down. He watched her catch her breath, as he fumbled to get the condom on. It was hard to focus with how she was looking at him. As soon as it was on, he climbed on top of her, spreading her legs wide for him, as his fingers felt her arousal. “Somebody’s eager,” he teased against her lips, before giving her a small peck.

“Bellamy,” she begged, and he started to line his cock up with her entrance, feeling himself throb in anticipation. He slowly pressed into her, overwhelmed by how tightly she hugged his cock. His mouth was slightly ajar, as he looked at Clarke’s face. She was smiling softly with her eyes closed, clearly getting what she had been wanting all along.

“Is this what you wanted, sweetheart?” he asked, voice low, once he was pressed all the way inside her. She started nodding quickly, as Bellamy pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. Then, he started to pull himself out, before pressing his cock back into her.

Her fingers were tangled in his hair again, pulling him down to meet her lips. She let out a whimper into his mouth as he started to pick up the pace. He hiked one of her legs up higher, trying to get himself deeper inside of her.

“Fuck, yes,” Clarke whimpered, as Bellamy started peppering kisses all over her face.

“Feel so good, baby,” Bellamy moaned, before sucking at her jawline. His cock was now pounding in her, egged on by her strangled panting.

“Bellamy,” she moaned, and Bellamy let out an almost feral moan at the sound of her moaning his name, almost begging him. His hand travelled down her stomach, finding her clit. He slowly started rubbing, watching her writhe with pleasure underneath him. “God, keep doing that,” she begged, eyes clenched shut again.

He crashed his lips into hers, pulling one of her legs up even higher so he could slam into her, earning a beautiful whimper into his mouth each time he thrust into her. She was gripping his hair tightly, desperate for something to hold onto as he fucked her harder and harder.

His fingers sped up, craving the feeling of her coming undone around his cock. Her breaths were becoming more and more shallow, as she gripped onto him even tighter.

“Come on, sweetheart. Come for me,” he begged against her lips, still thrusting in and out of her. She kissed him again, moaning hungrily into his mouth.

“Bellamy,” she moaned again, and his lips started sucking below her jaw, feeling her entire body shudder in pleasure. She was clenching around his cock as her moans got even louder, even more desperate. Once her nails started raking the back of his neck, he was lost too, erupting into her as he gripped her hair, desperate for something to anchor him while he came undone.

 

The next morning, Bellamy woke up to find himself spooning Clarke. Her hair was in his face, as his hand rested on her hip. He tilted his head up sleepily, looking at the clock. He had a little while longer before he had to start getting ready for work.

He laid back down, pulling her even closer into him. She was stirring too, pressing her back up against him. He kissed her shoulder, which earned a soft little sigh.

“Morning,” she sleepily mumbled, and Bellamy was caught off guard by how cute her early morning voice was.

“Good morning,” he greeted her, leaning up to kiss her cheek. Clarke turned her head immediately, smiling softly as she tried to blink her eyes open. She readjusted herself so she was now facing him, and Bellamy tugged her closer to him, feeling her head rest on his chest while he kissed her forehead.

Last night really was great, he remembered. It scared him how easy it was for him to get lost in the moment with Clarke, but he was pretty sure it was what both of them needed. As Clarke started to fall back to sleep, Bellamy turned his phone back on, only to be bombarded with a lot of freaked out texts.

“Fuck,” Bellamy mumbled before reaching for his tv remote. Clarke sat up, rubbing her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” she asked groggily, as Bellamy flipped through the channels to find a news station. His eyes widened in panic, wondering how this could have happened.

“Clarke,” he managed to get out before the broadcaster started speaking.

“Many are speculating this had something to do with the leaked videos from Dr. Lorelei Tsing’s work computer,” the woman explained, and Clarke sat up, eyes wide now that she saw what Bellamy saw. The screen was scanning a crime scene outside of Tsing’s office building. “A source inside the police department confirmed that this is a murder investigation.”

“Holy fuck,” Clarke whispered, now grabbing her phone. Bellamy glanced over her shoulder, seeing endless texts from her mother about Dr. Tsing’s death.

Bellamy swallowed, thinking about how many secrets Tsing died with, especially those from Abby Griffin and Thelonious Jaha. Bellamy had always thought that once these people lost everything, they would be more likely to throw Abby and Thelonious under the bus, letting the evidence pile up against them. And, Tsing was a very important target, one who clearly knew about his mother’s murder, but also one that got Clarke’s unfiltered observations surrounding Mt. Weather.  

Clarke frantically got dressed and said her goodbyes, needing to get back home to check in with her family. As soon as the door slammed shut, Bellamy was dialing the only person who could help get him back on track.

“What happened?” Marcus snapped upon answering the phone.

“I’m losing control,” Bellamy confessed, burying his face in his hands.


	4. Reputation

Bellamy’s relative anonymity had offered him one thing that his new friends in Arkadia did not have: no reputation. It made it quite easy for him and Octavia to alter who they were, to blend in seamlessly. And, in times like these, made it easy to seem completely harmless.

“And, you have no reason to be upset by what your sister said on the tapes?” Officer Shumway asked, raising an eyebrow at Bellamy.

“Honestly, she came off much nicer in the tapes than she did in person. I just feel bad that such a private moment was violated by the horrible leak,” Bellamy replied, leaning forward on the table. Shumway nodded, probably hearing a lot of similar statements throughout the day. Bellamy wasn’t particularly worried about being called in, especially since it wasn’t urgent enough for him to leave work early. He wasn’t high on the police department’s suspect list.

Shumway shuffled through some papers, looking more tired than anything. “Alright, how would you describe the nature of your relationship with Clarke Griffin?” he asked, as Bellamy pressed his lips together.

“We have been spending some time together, but I wouldn’t say we were serious,” Bellamy answered, as Shumway pressed his lips together.

“Can Miss Griffin account for your whereabouts between the hours of one a.m. to three a.m., Mr. Blake?”

“Yes, we were both in bed all night,” Bellamy said before swallowing, noticing Shumway nod again. Bellamy’s answer must have matched Clarke’s.

“Alright, thank you for coming down here, Mr. Blake. If we have any further questions, we will be in touch,” Shumway said, and Bellamy waited until he was out of the station to let out a sigh of relief.

Bellamy was a bit worried about the investigation, especially since the people on the tapes were at the top of the suspect list. That meant that both Clarke and Octavia were suspects, but Bellamy knew that at least Clarke had an alibi. And, Octavia’s lack of reputation may work in her favor, deflecting attention from her.

And, Bellamy also had a pretty good idea of who was responsible for Dr. Lorelei Tsing’s murder.

 

As Bellamy walked into Jasper’s apartment, he noticed they both made themselves comfortable in front of the tv, keeping the coverage of Tsing’s death on while they watched the Griffin-Jaha feed on their laptops.

“How did it go?” Monty shouted, as Bellamy took off his jacket.

“I confirmed Clarke’s alibi, and they don’t seem interested in Octavia,” Bellamy shrugged, and Jasper’s head shot up with a teasing smirk.

“I bet you confirmed that alibi,” Jasper said with a wink, and Monty started laughing hysterically.

“Stop,” Bellamy warned, pulling his laptop out of his briefcase.

“First time you’ve gotten any in forever. We’re gonna give you hell about it,” Jasper smirked, and Bellamy swallowed. He had hoped they had gotten this out of their system already, after how much hell they gave them that morning. But, like the annoying little brothers they really were, they wouldn’t let this one slide.

“Anything interesting going on in the feeds?” Bellamy changed the subject.

“They’re all freaked out. Abby and Jaha are super paranoid,” Monty explained, as Jasper narrowed his eyes at Monty.

“Jaha also said that ‘a lot of secrets died with Lorelei’ in the creepiest voice,” Jasper added, and Monty nodded.

“We need to find a way to get our cameras out of their house in case the police search their house,” Monty said, looking at Bellamy with a raised eyebrow.

“I can’t get over there without arousing suspicion. There are hundreds of news crews camped out around the estate,” Bellamy said, crossing his arms.

“Well, call Clarke. Offer to comfort her or something,” Jasper said with a teasing glint in his eye.

“She hasn’t been answering her phone,” Bellamy huffed, throwing himself on the couch.

“Was the sex that bad?” Jasper joked, before Bellamy threw a pillow at him. Then, he heard Jasper’s door swing open.

“Bellamy Blake!” he heard his sister shout, followed by her slamming the door. Bellamy glanced over at Monty who had a concerned look on his face. She stomped into the living room, looking at something on her phone with a strange expression on her face.

“What did I do this time?” Bellamy asked with a slight smirk, but Octavia wasn’t having it.

She started reading off her phone, “’Clarke Griffin is notorious for finding a way to keep her personal life private, but the ugliness of the Tsing murder investigation has finally shed some light on who the youngest Griffin has been seeing…’”

“Oh shit,” Jasper said excitedly, as Bellamy jumped out of his seat.

“’There have been sightings of Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin together, but, it wasn’t until it was accidentally leaked that Blake was her alibi for the entire night of the murder that led us to believe that Clarke Griffin is finally settling down.’”

“Oh my God, Bellamy is all over the gossip columns,” Monty said while laughing as he scrolled through his laptop.

“How did that get leaked?” Bellamy asked, grabbing Octavia’s phone out of her hand. From what he skimmed through, the media knew very little about him, but was more than willing to speculate.

“It’s a police precinct that’s crawling with reporters. Plus, Clarke isn’t always surrounded by trustworthy people. Someone could have leaked it to make a nice pay day,” Jasper suggested, as Bellamy groaned.

“Congrats, you’re famous now,” Octavia said with a smirk. And, just like that, Bellamy lost any anonymity he had once enjoyed.

 

Bellamy spent the entire next day ducking reporters and hiding in his office, staring at his phone. After everything that had been in the news about him, he had expected at least one angry phone call from Marcus Kane. But, he didn’t hear from him. Perhaps he got all his frustration out of his system when he chewed Bellamy out over the phone yesterday morning. But, Bellamy doubts he would be that lucky.

He had briefly gotten into contact with Clarke, who was extremely apologetic about how their relationship had been leaked. From what he could tell from the feeds, Clarke wasn’t staying in her residence much during the day. In fact, most of the family stayed out of sight of the cameras, since they were putting out fires of their own all day. Which is why Bellamy was surprised to receive a phone call from the Griffin-Jaha estate.

“Hello?” he asked, feeling his chest start to tighten. He knew it wasn’t Clarke, since Monty had pinged her phone being downtown.

“Mr. Blake, is this a bad time?” he heard Thelonious say, and Bellamy was suddenly very nervous.

“Not at all. How can I help you?”

“I was wondering if you would be willing to come over to meet with me. In an hour would be ideal for me,” he replied, calm and rehearsed as always. Bellamy’s mind started to race, wondering what Jaha would want with him. But, he couldn’t turn down an opportunity to retrieve Jasper and Monty’s recording devices.

“Of course,” Bellamy said as confidently as he could manage, even though he was secretly terrified that Jaha was onto him.

“Good, I look forward to seeing you,” Jaha declared before hanging up the phone, and Bellamy felt like he was going to throw up.

 

His hands were shaking as he pulled up to the gate of their house, and his car was swarmed by reporters. A few of Jaha’s security guys jogged up to the car, forcing the reporters to back away from Bellamy’s car.

That alone was enough to send Bellamy into a full-on panic. But, once he got inside, he reached a new level.

“Ah, Mr. Blake has arrived,” Jaha said excitedly, as he crossed the living room to shake Bellamy’s hand. He looked around, seeing Wells and Abby sitting on opposite sides of the room, with distressed looks on their faces. There was a woman in the room, the one that Monty had leaked some info to back at the gala.

“Thank you for having me,” Bellamy said hesitantly, as Jaha gestured for him to take a seat. Bellamy shot Wells a confused look, and Wells only rolled his eyes.

“We’ll get started as soon as Clarke arrives,” Ontari explained, as Thelonious sat down next to Abby. Minutes ticked by in silence, as Bellamy tried to put together why they had brought him there. Or why Ontari was here. Roan stepped into the room, whispering something in Jaha’s ear that make Jaha smirk. Bellamy couldn’t help but notice how Wells tensed up at the sight.

Then, the door front door opened and slammed shut, as Clarke stormed into the living room. Dax was following quickly after her, and Clarke had a murderous expression on her face.

“How was your meeting with Indra?” Jaha asked with a smirk, and Clarke’s eyes widened at him. She hadn’t even noticed that Bellamy was in the room.

“Cut short when Dax dragged me out,” she snapped, before shooting a dirty look toward Dax, who seemed unaffected.

“He’s just following my orders, Clarke. Plus, no one needs to see you meeting with a lawyer at a time like this. Makes you look suspicious,” Jaha replied, as Clarke let out a huff, now looking around the room. Her eyes widened in confusion when she made eye contact with Bellamy. “Oh, Ontari will explain why he’s here. Take a seat,” he ordered, as Clarke plopped down between Wells and Bellamy, shooting Bellamy an apologetic look. At least he wasn’t the only one who didn’t know what was going on.

“Normally, I would say any press is good press, but once again you all have outdone yourself,” Ontari said smugly, as she sat down. Bellamy noticed Dax and Roan standing in the back, exchanging some information quietly.

“Just trying to create work for you,” Wells joked.

“Wells, please. This family has a huge public relations problem right now,” Abby snapped, and Bellamy could see Clarke struggling to keep her mouth shut.

“It’s not like I’m the problem here,” Wells shrugged, and Clarke started chuckling.

“I wouldn’t be laughing, Clarke,” Ontari snapped, looking unamused. “The Griffin name is the one that’s all over the news right now.” This was unfortunately true. The feud between her and her mother had taken center stage amidst the Tsing scandal, with many pointing fingers at Abby for having the strongest motive to get rid of Dr. Tsing. Of course, Abby had an alibi. But, gossip-blogs and shadier news publications didn’t really care about that.

“Can someone explain why Bellamy got dragged into this?” Clarke asked, leaning back, and crossing her arms. Bellamy pressed his lips together and looked toward the ground. That was the question he had been asking himself since Jaha called.

“I was getting to that. Buzz about your alleged relationship is the only positive press this family has been receiving lately. So, I thought it was only fair to bring Bellamy into this strategy session,” Ontari replied, before refocusing on her clipboard. Clarke’s eyes widened as she looked at Bellamy. He could tell that she didn’t want this, and wondered if she felt guilty for dragging him into this. He grabbed her hand to reassure her. “The public needs to see all of you acting as a functional family again. I’ve set up a press conference for Thelonious tomorrow morning. Abby, you are not to be seen out in public unless you are with Clarke and looking happy.” Clarke snorted, and Wells elbowed her in the side. Ontari narrowed her eyes at Clarke, before looking at Bellamy.

“Whatever you’re about to suggest, the answer is no,” Clarke snapped, and Jaha let out a sigh.

“Clarke, it’s fine,” Bellamy whispered, trying to reassure her that he wouldn’t have stayed if he wasn’t okay with whatever the fuck was going on here. Clarke shot him an apologetic look, before turning back to look at Ontari.

“If the media is too busy focusing on how cute Arkadia’s newest couple is, they’ll spend less time covering how you threw a temper tantrum at the charity brunch,” Ontari snapped, leaning forward. Bellamy could see Clarke’s jaw clench, even though she didn’t dare look back at him. He knew she was uncomfortable with how they had already been labeled without talking about it first.

“Do I have a task or do I get a free pass since I’m the only person who hasn’t been screwing up lately?” Wells snapped.

“People are wondering why they haven’t been seeing you around lately. A single hermit isn’t exactly an image you should be striving for,” Ontari replied with a smug look, and Clarke and Wells exchanged a nervous look. Then, Clarke turned her head to raise an eyebrow at Jaha.

“Surely, Clarke must have a friend to introduce you to,” Jaha suggested, narrowing his eyes at Clarke, who looked like she was just two seconds away from dashing across the room to strangle him… not that Bellamy was keen on stopping her. Bellamy glanced over at Wells, who had an unsettling look in his eyes.

“Thelonious,” Clarke growled, as Jaha stood up.

“Clarke, please step into my study,” Jaha said coolly, rebuttoning his blazer. “I’m sure you and I can come to an agreement.”

As Clarke followed Jaha in a huff, Abby dismissed herself, heading toward their kitchen.

“I know you two just started seeing each other, but, welcome to the family,” Wells joked, as Bellamy threw his head back.

“What am I in for?” Bellamy groaned, as Ontari followed after Abby.

“My guess? A bunch of dates you were probably going to take her on already, but with paparazzi strategically placed,” Wells said with a shrug, and to be honest, that didn’t sound so bad. Bellamy wasn’t crazy about having a publicized relationship with her, but if it was already out there, continuing it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“Business as usual?” Bellamy asked, and Wells rolled his eyes.

“It’s only like this when it’s affecting our stock value,” Wells groaned, now reaching toward the coffee table to grab his glass. It was a little too early to be drinking, but, if Bellamy lived in a house surrounded by reporters, he probably would be drinking too. “This time, it’s Clarke taking the worst of it. Next time, it’ll probably be me again.” Bellamy glanced around, noticing that Roan and Dax were both gone too.

“Is it really going to be that bad for her?” he asked, figuring that Clarke must be used to this kind of thing by now.

“Right now, Dad is negotiating his terms. And, Clarke isn’t as easily bought as the rest of us. Which means it’s gonna get ugly,” Wells whispered, sliding closer to Bellamy. Bellamy’s eyes flickered up to the door of Thelonious’ study, worried about Clarke. “I know she’s freaking out about you being dragged into this. She didn’t exactly want you in the middle of all this.”

Eventually, Abby and Ontari came back, discussing a dinner they were throwing at the end of the week, one that Bellamy was suddenly expected to attend. He let out a sigh, panicking more and more each second that Clarke was in Thelonious’ study.

It was a long time before they stepped out, and Clarke’s face was cold.

“How does Harper McIntyre sound?” Clarke asked Wells, who pressed his lips together.

“Oh, I like her,” Abby said with a smile. “Good choice, sweetie.” Clarke’s eyes flickered to Jaha as he stepped out from behind her. He nodded, and Clarke swallowed.

“Let’s move this meeting to the kitchen, so we can talk strategy for the press conference,” Ontari said, standing up. Wells rushed toward the stairs, earning a few groans from Abby and Thelonious. But, they followed Ontari into the kitchen, leaving Clarke and Bellamy alone.

“I am so sorry,” Clarke said quickly as she rushed over to Bellamy.

“Hey, it’s fine,” he reassured, rubbing her upper arm with his hand. Clarke’s eyes flickered up to his, with an apologetic look in her eyes.

“You shouldn’t have been dragged into this. I’m sorry about all the articles and you being dragged here…” she said, clenching her eyes shut.

“Clarke, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be,” he said, and Clarke bit her lip, suppressing a small smile. Then, she leaned up to press a short peck to his lips.

“You’re wonderful, you know that?” she said, as Bellamy wrapped his arms around her.

“I try,” he smirked, before kissing her forehead.

She pulled away, rolling her eyes slightly, and for a brief moment, Bellamy forgot how upset Clarke was. Then, her frustration creeped back on her face. “I’ll be right back. Need to go check on Wells,” she explained, before walking over to the stairs.

Bellamy swallowed, watching her ascend the staircase, waiting for her to be out of sight. He made fast work of locating the cameras Jasper had hidden, and putting them in his briefcase. He glanced into the kitchen, where everyone else was fast at work planning their PR strategy, so Bellamy slipped into Jaha’s study. That camera was easy to find, but Bellamy couldn’t deny what an easy opportunity he had at the moment.

So, Bellamy quickly moved over to Jaha’s desk, opening drawers to find the burner phone. It was buried under some papers in the bottom drawer. Bellamy glanced up, not hearing anyone coming near him, and so, he resumed turning on the phone. He used his phone to take a picture of the number Jaha called last, before turning it back off. He texted Monty the photo, before he resumed taking down the rest of the cameras.

 

By the time Bellamy dropped the cameras off at Jasper’s apartment, Monty was buried deep in his search for any information that phone number would give him. Jasper was watching the feeds from the day, as he called Bellamy over.

“Our princess is up to something. Good thing you didn’t take Jaha’s camera down before their little negotiation,” he said, as Bellamy plopped down next to him. Jasper hit rewind and stopped right when Clarke shut the door behind her.

“You have lost your damn mind,” Clarke growled, sitting down across from Jaha, who assumed his spot behind the desk.

“Clarke, you know by now how this works. I’ve already made my mind up about this plan. And, by the end of this discussion, you’re going to go along with it,” he said, matter of fact.

“It’s unnecessary. This will all blow over once they find out who killed Dr. Tsing.”

“No, it won’t. Your mother is suspect number one, Clarke. We need to look like a perfect family again. Public perception is everything,” he snapped, showing more emotion on his face than Bellamy had ever seen. Clarke swallowed, looking down at her hands, apparently calming down a bit.

“You can’t drag Wells back into the spotlight. He needs time,” Clarke pleaded, as Thelonious pressed his lips together.

“I agree. But, we can’t all get what we need. Once this is all past us, Wells can fade back into the background and get his life back together,” he replied, leaning back in his chair with a frustrated look on his face. “Wells and Abby have already agreed to my terms. All I need is your compliance.”

“A negotiation requires me getting something I want, Thelonious. And you have nothing I want,” Clarke snapped, looking Jaha up and down.

“Oh, I’ve been saving something for a rainy day,” Jaha smirked, as he leaned forward, pressing his arms on the desk. “In exchange for you distracting the media with your new little boyfriend and playing nice with your mother, I offer you my silence.”

Bellamy noticed how Clarke flinched at the word “boyfriend,” which concerned him. She tilted her head in confusion, waiting for Jaha to elaborate.

“Did you really think I didn’t know that you were never in med school? In fact, for most of the past two years, you weren’t even in Polis,” he smirked, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s face flash in horror. “Now, you were discreet about this and covered all your bases, so I don’t see any reason why this can’t stay between us.”

“You haven’t told your own wife?” Clarke asked skeptically, and Jaha leaned back and chuckled.

“And throw this opportunity away? Absolutely not. Although, I’m sure if she knew, she would have all sorts of questions about what you’ve been doing all this time and why you went to such a great length to convince everyone you were in Polis.”

“I’m sure you have similar questions,” Clarke said, with a stoic look on her face.

“The difference is that as long as whatever it is you’re hiding doesn’t surface, I don’t really care. Now, do we have a deal?”

“Yes. This conversation doesn’t leave this room,” Clarke ordered, and Jaha started smirking as he stood up.

“I will say, it was clever how you pulled it off. You’re smart, like your father,” he said, in an almost admiring voice.

“Thank you,” Clarke muttered, as Jaha walked around his desk.

“But, I was smarter than your father. Remember that, next time,” Jaha said smugly, and Clarke’s face went pale.

Bellamy blinked a few times, as Jasper moved the feed to the part Bellamy witnessed in person.

“We need to be more careful with Clarke,” Jasper warned, as Bellamy swallowed, not believing what he just saw.

“She’s not some mastermind like them. We don’t need to worry,” Bellamy said, as he stood up.

“We don’t know she’s not,” Monty groaned, now turning to look at him. “Look, out of everyone we have files on, somehow we still have the least on her. Have you ever wondered why that is?”

“She’s a good person. So is Wells,” Bellamy groaned, as Jasper shut his laptop to look up at Bellamy.

“I agree, but she’s still hiding something. And, it looks like it’s big. So, just be careful.”

“I don’t understand how she could hide something like that. We checked into it. She paid her tuition, she had records of her classes and grades. Hell, there were dozens of Clarke sightings in Polis over the years,” Bellamy groaned, running his fingers through his hair.

“And, as soon as we figure out who Jaha called the night Tsing was killed, we will get right on figuring out how she did it,” Monty reassured, as Bellamy clenched his jaw.

 

Bellamy’s door was slightly opened by the time he got back to his house, yet all the lights were off. He swallowed, creeping into his house, and reaching into his bag to pull out his gun, just in case.

Finger on the trigger, Bellamy scanned his living room in the dark, looking for any evidence that someone had broken in.

“You really should get better locks on your doors,” Marcus announced before flipping on the lights. Bellamy let out a groan before dropping his hand to his side.

“Don’t fucking sneak up on me like that,” Bellamy snapped, as he put his gun away. Marcus walked across the room, hands in his pockets as he pressed his lips together.

“Well, I certainly wasn’t going to wait around for you to get home. So, I let myself in,” he snapped, looking Bellamy up and down.

“Why are you here?” Bellamy asked, tugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the couch.

“For starters, you’ve targeted Clarke, which is the only thing I asked you not to do,” Marcus said calmly. “I’m here to help you get back on track.”

“Clarke isn’t going to get hurt, I swear,” Bellamy replied, practically pleading with his voice for Marcus to forgive him.

“No matter how this ends, she’s going to be hurt. Best case scenario, your plan succeeds and she’s left heartbroken when you disappear. Worst case, she gets caught in the crossfires and winds up in prison with the rest of them,” Marcus said, narrowing his eyes at Bellamy.

“Marcus.”

“What’s done is done. Now, my only focus is to make sure we get the best case scenario.”

“You never told me why you were so invested in protecting Clarke,” Bellamy mused, tilting his head slightly.

“Her father was a good man,” Marcus said, settling down in a chair.

“He was just as involved in Mt. Weather as much as the rest of them were,” Bellamy snapped, and Marcus pressed his lips together.

“He was involved, but not as much as you’d think. He didn’t know how it would end,” Marcus replied, narrowing his eyes at Bellamy. “Once the explosion happened, he was going to turn himself in, along with everyone else.”

Bellamy swallowed, sitting down across from Marcus. “He didn’t die by accident, did he?” Bellamy asked, looking down at the ground.

“I don’t know,” Marcus said solemnly, and Bellamy could tell that he really cared about Jake Griffin.

“So, are you back for good now?” Bellamy asked, snapping Marcus out of whatever weird mood he was in.

“I think it’s about time I come back to Arkadia. God knows you four need me to keep an eye on you,” he said, with almost a teasing tone to his voice. Bellamy nodded, before standing up. “Bellamy,” he said severely, and Bellamy felt his chest tighten. “I trusted you with this. If you go behind my back again, there will be consequences,” he growled, and Bellamy nodded profusely.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to Clarke,” he pleaded, not only because it was what Marcus needed to hear, but because it was what Bellamy needed to believe. He had come to care about Clarke. It wasn’t like what they had was real or anything, but, in another world where Bellamy had a normal life, he would have wanted someone like Clarke.

“Be careful with her. I don’t know what she knows.”

“We think she knows a lot about Mt. Weather, but—”

“Abby put her in therapy and convinced her she was making it all up. I know,” Marcus interrupted with a sad look on his face. “A long time ago, I tried to tell Clarke she was right, but she shut down.”

Bellamy swallowed, twiddling his thumbs. He had been holding out hope that Clarke had still held onto what she remembered. It broke his heart to realize that they had succeeded in making Clarke think she was crazy, that these were just stories she made up to rationalize her father’s death. That Clarke could have been a person who would understand why Bellamy was doing all of this.

 

“I think all I have to do is show up to breakfast with my mother,” Clarke said, furrowing her eyebrows slightly as she looked up at Bellamy. He pulled her in tighter, rubbing her shoulder.

“Still sounds better than wrangling Jasper and Monty into explaining whatever it is they’ve been working on,” Bellamy mumbled, and Clarke pressed another kiss to his neck. He closed his eyes, letting himself enjoy this moment. This was the third night in a row that he ended up with Clarke in his bed, which he was slowly getting used to. They went out to dinner every night this week, which a few of the gossip sites were very excited about. And whenever he tried to take her back to her home, she distracted him with that adorable little pout of hers. So, he found himself repeatedly naked and intertwined with Clarke, thankful that he lived alone so she could be as loud as she wanted.

“Aww,” Clarke said with a pout, and Bellamy rolled his eyes. “Maybe I can bring you lunch,” she said excitedly, propping her head up slightly. Bellamy cupped her face before pulling her back in for a kiss, this one much slower than their earlier ones, less desperate.

“Because that wouldn’t be a huge distraction,” he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“You saying I distract you?” Clarke teased, poking his chest slightly.

“Absolutely,” he smirked, before pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.

“In a good way, right?” she asked, with a slight pout in her lip.

“The best way,” he replied, now running his fingers up and down her bare back. She rested her head back on his chest, pulling herself closer into his side.

Bellamy had been on edge all week, especially now that he had no way of keeping tabs on what was going on in the Griffin-Jaha estate. The police were slowly narrowing down the suspect list for Tsing’s murder, while Monty was incredibly close to figuring out who Jaha called that night. Marcus had been breathing down his neck, criticizing every little move that had been made since he arrived in Arkadia. His sister had basically checked out until they were ready to move on the next target, which meant she was off getting closer to Lincoln.

It was stressful, which he should have anticipated more. Of course, his plan for revenge wouldn’t run perfectly. After all, they had to completely change it on the very first day, when Bellamy made Clarke the new mark. And, Bellamy couldn’t move forward with anything until they figured out exactly how Tsing died.

And, despite spending an obscene amount of time with Clarke, he had made very little progress in figuring out what she was up to. She had all the right answers when Bellamy asked her about med school, and it terrified him how well she lied. He asked her a few leading questions each night, hoping she would let something slip… like something about why she’s been meeting with her lawyer, or where she went in the hours after the charity brunch. But, she was good at evading questions.

“You ready to get sent into the lion’s den?” Clarke teased, pressing a kiss to Bellamy’s collarbone. He let out a small groan, dreading dinner at the residence tomorrow night. He had no idea just how many people were going to be in attendance, but he knew it was enough that Clarke had been working hard on a seating chart.

“Absolutely not. Octavia is, though,” he grumbled, scrunching his face slightly. He was happy that Abby Griffin extended Octavia an invitation, if only because it meant Octavia would be able to set up cameras, now that the police were certain Abby Griffin is not a suspect.

“You’ll be fine,” Clarke reassured, before pulling his face down for another kiss. Her mouth opened slightly, as Bellamy moaned into her mouth, pushing her onto her back so he could take control of the kiss.

“Promise?” he asked, before kissing just below her jaw.

 

Bellamy was running a few minutes late this morning, which he could blame entirely on Clarke. By the time he made it into his office, Monty and Jasper were sitting there, waiting for him with strange facial expressions.

“Please tell me no one is dead,” Bellamy said as soon as his door was shut behind him.

“I found the person Jaha called,” Monty said with a grave expression. Bellamy tilted his head in confusion, wondering why they weren’t jumping for joy. If they played this right, they could get this guy to turn on Jaha. It would be much easier than any plan Bellamy had in the works, and there was no way Jaha wouldn’t turn on Abby and everyone else to reduce his sentence.

“Bellamy, you’re gonna want to sit for this,” Jasper warned, and Bellamy’s mind started rushing through all the worst case scenarios. Maybe it was someone Bellamy knew. Or maybe this person was dead and this was a dead end.

“Her name is Zoe Monroe. And she’s not a hitman,” Monty explained, his mouth tense as he spoke. “What she does isn’t entirely legal, but she didn’t kill Tsing. She’s a retrieval specialist, who was probably paid to get those recordings back and shut down the website we set up.”

Bellamy’s mouth was slightly open, as he processed this information.

“Jaha didn’t order the hit on Lorelei,” Jasper broke it down, and Bellamy started shaking his head. No, that can’t be true. He was so certain it was Jaha. With how many of his secrets Tsing had, he had the most to gain from her turning up dead. Then, another horrifying question popped up in his head.

“If he didn’t have her killed, who did?” Bellamy asked, glancing back and forth between Jasper and Monty. They both looked like they had been wondering the same thing.

It would have been easier if it had been Jaha. Bellamy already knew he was a murderer. But, now… Bellamy had another murderer in the equation, and no way of knowing who it was.

 

If Bellamy had known showing up on time meant having to schmooze with Thelonious’ friends in the living room, Bellamy would have shown up half an hour late. Clarke was off helping her mother with something, and Octavia was making fast work of getting the cameras up.

“I do have to say, you two make a handsome couple,” Senator Wallace said, patting Bellamy on the back.

“Thank you, senator,” he replied, forcing a smile. Cage had been staying far away from Bellamy so far this evening, which Bellamy was grateful for. He was less grateful for the occasional glares he was receiving from him, but it was to be expected.

Bellamy glanced around the room, wondering if these people knew that the Griffin-Jaha household was putting on a show tonight. They probably did know, and were more than willing to play along. Then, Bellamy saw a strange expression flash across Thelonious’ face as he looked toward the door. He started walking forward, and Bellamy turned around… seeing Marcus Kane stride right on in. Bellamy swallowed, knowing that he was not on the original guest list.

“Marcus,” Jaha said, as he approached him with disbelief on his face. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, your better half heard I was back in town and was kind enough to extend an invitation last minute,” Marcus explained with a smug look on his face. Bellamy glanced back at Jaha, who was looking Marcus up and down, with an almost disdainful expression on his face.

“I’m sure she did,” he muttered, so low that Bellamy barely heard it.

“Bellamy,” Marcus said, as he strode over to him with a smile on his face. He pulled Bellamy in for a hug, before whispering, “You weren’t answering your phone. Just pretend like you knew I was coming.”

“You two know each other?” Jaha asked, raising an eyebrow as he stepped over to Bellamy. Bellamy glanced behind him, noticing that Wallace had taken off to start a conversation with someone else. In fact, everyone moved away from this interaction, occasionally glancing over at the three of them.

“Thelonious,” Marcus interrupted before Bellamy could say anything. “Remember, I told you years ago that I was thinking of having a family of my own. I adopted him and Octavia,” he explained, patting Bellamy on the back. Bellamy did his best to keep his facial expressions normal, even though this was not part of the plan, and technically, Marcus only adopted Octavia… but that was only because Bellamy was already eighteen at the time.

“What a small world,” Thelonious said, looking at Bellamy again, studying him closely. Bellamy swallowed, forcing a smile.

“Marcus!” he heard Abby shout, and Marcus quickly turned around to walk over to her, gripping her in a tight hug. Bellamy glanced back at Thelonious, who had a bitter expression on his face as he watched the interaction. He quickly blinked it away, redirecting his attention to Bellamy while Abby and Marcus exchanged words.

“I can’t believe I didn’t know you were Marcus’ boy,” Thelonious said, with a disconcerting smile on his face.

“And I had no idea you two knew each other,” Bellamy said, forcing a smile of his own. Then, Bellamy caught a flicker of blonde in his peripheral vision, and turned his head to see Clarke walk in with Echo, discussing something with a serious look on her face. Echo nodded, before leaving Clarke’s side and walking over to Cage Wallace. Clarke spotted Bellamy and started walking over to him, but stopped dead in her tracks when she looked over to her mother having a conversation with Marcus. There was no mistaking the deer in the headlights look that flashed over her face as she spotted Marcus, but she quickly fixed her facial expressions. Bellamy started quickly walking over to her, hearing Thelonious follow behind him.

“Clarke,” Marcus said, moving away from Abby to pull Clarke into a hug. She shot her mother a confused look while in the embrace, before he pulled away. “You look so grown up.”

“Clarke, you remember Marcus, right?” Abby asked, in an almost sweet tone… which Bellamy found unnerving.

“Of course,” Clarke said, with a smile Bellamy could only describe as forced.

“Yes, well, as I just discovered, Marcus is also Bellamy’s adopted father,” Jaha said, which earned a confused look from both the Griffin women. Clarke’s eyes flashed up to Bellamy, who swallowed. She couldn’t be upset over him not telling her, especially since as far as anyone in the room knew, Bellamy and Octavia had no idea that Marcus used to know these people.

“Marcus, I didn’t know you had kids. When did this happen?” Abby asked, tilting her head slightly as she looked at Marcus.

“Uh, I think back in 2007 maybe. I’m bad with years,” Marcus said with a shrug. Then, Octavia made her way back into the room, and looked confused to see Marcus. Bellamy walked over to her quickly, trying to explain what she had missed before she said something to draw suspicion.

By the time he got back to Jaha and Marcus, Clarke had disappeared. He mumbled an excuse about going to look for her, as he walked through the downstairs. He eventually found her standing outside on the phone, and quietly made his way toward her.

“Yeah, that works for me,” he heard Clarke say, as he closed the door behind him. “Same account as last time?” He looked over his shoulder, making sure there was no one by the window watching them. “Okay, thanks a lot, Alie,” Clarke said before hanging up.

“You okay?” Bellamy asked, causing Clarke to jump.

“God, you scared me,” Clarke said, sounding almost out of breath as she moved toward him.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, now genuinely concerned. Clarke had been acting weird since Marcus showed up, and Bellamy had a horrible feeling in his gut that Marcus had left certain parts of the story out.

“Yeah, of course. Just needed to call one of my friends from Polis back,” Clarke reassured with a smile, and now Bellamy knew she was lying. “So, how is the lion’s den treating you?” she joked, and Bellamy forced a chuckle.

“It’d be better if I had you by my side more,” Bellamy said with a smirk, and Clarke grabbed his hand and started tugging him back toward the house.

 

Dinner went off without a hitch. Bellamy was seated between Clarke and Octavia, listening to Abby drone on and on about how much she and Clarke used to love their Sunday bonding days back when Clarke was little. As much as Bellamy didn’t want to admit it, Jaha and Ontari’s plan to recover the family image was working. If he didn’t know any better, he would say that Clarke and Abby were very close, and that the only reason Wells hadn’t been attending a lot of social functions lately was because he was busy being so madly in love with Harper McIntyre.

From what he could tell, he and Clarke had done a good job of distracting the media attention away from the murder investigation. And, almost everyone at the party cooed over how good they looked together. Clarke was noticeably quiet, which Bellamy found disconcerting. Up until tonight, Clarke had been selling the whole thing, looking like the perfect daughter and girlfriend. And it wasn’t that she looked like she wasn’t, but it was clear that she wasn’t trying as hard.

Luckily, Jaha didn’t seem to mind. He was too busy fixating on why Marcus came back to town or how he didn’t know about Bellamy and Octavia’s connection to him.

When Diana Sydney brought up Tsing, Clarke gripped Bellamy’s hand under the table. He glanced over to her, amazed that her face was completely composed.

“We all have to be careful about who we trust,” Abby said before taking a sip of her wine. “I’m just devastated that I didn’t get a chance to apologize to her about how I acted before it was too late.”

“I can only imagine how hard this must be for all of you, especially considering how long you have known her,” Diana said with a shrug.

“Yes, she was practically a member of the family after she helped us all through Jake’s death. Isn’t that right, sweetie?” Abby asked, looking at Clarke who just nodded in response.

“She was lucky to have you all as friends. I was really worried about her after that patient of hers committed suicide,” Wallace’s wife said, and Bellamy gripped the side of his chair. He glanced over at Octavia, who luckily, was too busy being engaged in a conversation on the other side of the table. He took a deep breath before turning his head back toward Clarke, who was busy poking around her food with a fork, with a contemplative look on her face.

“Oh, Aurora Blake haunted Tsing for years,” Diana said, pursing her lips slightly, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s head snap up, eyes widening slightly. Bellamy sucked in a breath, studying Clarke carefully, wondering if she still remembered everything that Bellamy had read in her file. And, as he saw the wheels turning in her head, he knew. She remembered. Abby quickly changed the subject, side-eyeing Clarke repeatedly.

Bellamy watched Clarke closely for the rest of the night, seeing her completely lost in her own thoughts. He wondered if Clarke had made the connection between Aurora and his last name. He wondered if he could just tell Clarke that he was Aurora’s son. But, he didn’t know just how convinced Clarke was that she misremembered these things. Marcus said that she shut down when he tried to tell her he was right… and Bellamy couldn’t risk Clarke losing it when Bellamy tried to tell her the same thing.

All night, these thoughts killed him. Especially when Clarke gave him a quick goodbye, almost blowing him off as she said she would call him.

Because, he knew Clarke recognized his mother’s name. That, if she could just believe it again, she would understand everything Bellamy was trying to do. Maybe, that way, she could forgive him one day for what he’s doing to her. Maybe, and this was a big maybe, he wouldn’t lose her completely when all this was over.


	5. Confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm loving all of your theories by the way, guys. Apologizing in advance for the angst, but you guys knew what this was lol.

Bellamy had never been a particularly religious man, but he always understood the importance of confession. He hadn’t actually been to confession in years, since these days, there were very few people he could trust with his honesty. Those people were his sister, Jasper and Monty, and, of course, Marcus. But, there were still some things he couldn’t confess to them.

Like the fact that Clarke had dropped off the face of the earth was bothering him for reasons outside of their revenge plan. It had been one week since he last saw her on the video feed, answering a phone call with a strange expression on her face.

 _What did you find?_ He tried to make sense of the few words that came out of her mouth. _I need to disappear for a while, to think this over._ He wondered if it was the same person he heard her talking to the night before, when Clarke started acting weird. _Be careful. He’s catching onto you._ He played these words over and over, hoping to find something he missed the first time around.

He tried not to think about how he came off in the voicemails he left for her, asking her to call him back, saying that he missed her. And, he wasn’t lying. He did miss her.

It was distracting, making it hard to move forward with his plan to take down Wallace. Apparently, the police department knew who murdered Tsing, and it was all the media was focusing on. No one could find this Emerson fellow, and the general consensus was that he skipped town after murdering Dr. Tsing. Bellamy didn’t buy this, of course. He assumed this poor guy was getting set up, or that someone hired him to take her out. Monty and Jasper were hard at work on this theory, and Bellamy really tried to help. But, he couldn’t focus.

Which is how he found himself slamming backwards into the ground.

“Bellamy, where is your head?” Marcus snapped, holding out a hand to help Bellamy up. Bellamy was exhausted, after training all morning with Marcus.

“Sorry,” he muttered, brushing his hair out of his face, before gripping Marcus’ hand.

“This is what I’m talking about. Things have spiraled out of control because you keep losing your focus,” Marcus chastised, walking across the room to grab his bottle of water.

“I have been focused until recently,” Bellamy snapped, as Marcus raised an eyebrow at him.

“Lorelei Tsing is gone, along with all the secrets everyone confided in her,” Marcus started, holding out a finger to indicate it was the first on a long list. “You barely got those files back into her office before she was murdered, which could have framed you if you hadn’t. Octavia is distracted, now sleeping with her childhood crush instead of spending her time helping you. Your mark, Clarke Griffin, has left town and literally no one knows where she went…”

“Monty and Jasper are trying to locate her,” Bellamy interrupted.

“You also chose the wrong mark,” Marcus snapped, causing Bellamy to swallow. “Jaha is now suspicious of you.”

“That’s your fault,” Bellamy growled, still a little angry at how Marcus showed up at that dinner. He shouldn’t have even come back into town.

“My point is that there are a lot of ways this can all fall apart. And, unless you can get focused again, the plan will crash and burn around you, Bellamy,” he replied sternly, looking Bellamy up and down.

While he should be relieved that Marcus came back to help, it was also exhausting. Bellamy was constantly worrying that Marcus was going to have a problem with how he was running things. And, of course, Marcus had a problem with most of it. Tsing fell too hard, Pike didn’t fall hard enough, Wallace should have been gone by now…

 

“Is there something else from the conversation you left out?” Monty asked, resting his head on the table, looking exhausted.

“She just seemed jittery. She mentioned something about an account, like she was going to pay whoever it was on the other line,” Bellamy sighed, as Monty gently banged his head on the table.

“A name would be nice,” Jasper shouted from the other side of the room, and Bellamy started digging through his brain, knowing that Clarke must have said it.

“Alie sounds familiar,” Bellamy said with a shrug, as Monty forced himself to sit up.

“I can work with that,” he muttered, directing his attention back to the screen.

“Yo, Bellamy,” Jasper shouted, as Bellamy stood up to walk over toward him. “I think Jaha knows where your girlfriend is hiding.” Jasper clicked around a bit, before picking up the tv remote, putting the video feed on the big screen. Bellamy plopped down on the couch, still tired from Marcus beating him up that morning.

“I finally hear from her, yet she tells me nothing,” Abby snapped inside Jaha’s study. He blinked a few times, looking Abby up and down.

“What exactly did she say?” he asked, tilting his head slightly.

“That she’d be back in time for the memorial and she’s visiting a friend. God, she called me at three in the morning. I can’t imagine what she’s doing that she would be up that late,” Abby said exasperatedly, throwing herself down on one of the chairs.

“Or, she called you at that time because she’s in a different time zone and simply forgot,” Jaha said, and Abby’s eyes snapped wide open.

“What do you know that I don’t?” Abby snapped, raising an eyebrow at her husband.

“Can’t tell you. Clarke and I have an agreement,” Jaha said with a slight smirk, and Bellamy swallowed, not even wanting to know when that negotiation took place or what Clarke had to do in return for this one.

“She left the country, didn’t she?” Abby asked, leaning forward.

“I’m not answering that question. What I will say is that around three in the morning here could be anywhere after nine in the morning in most of Europe.”

“Thelonious, you tell me right now where Clarke is,” Abby yelled, now standing up.

“Are you just upset that she won’t be gone longer?” he asked, with a smug expression on his face. “You know, I like it better when she’s in the house. She keeps you on your toes. And she’s the only person in this house who can manage to go head to head with me.”

Abby stormed out of his office, whipping out her phone to make some phone calls.

“What would Clarke go to Europe for?” Bellamy asked, glancing over at Monty, whose head was now resting on his keyboard.

“Maybe she’s just another trust fund baby who goes off on benders every now and then,” Jasper said, and Bellamy whipped his head around to glare at him.

“Watch it. Bellamy’s real defensive of his fake girlfriend,” Monty said, and Bellamy turned to glare at him now. “What?” Monty asked defensively. “It is fake, Bellamy. You can chill out.”

“Okay, let me spell this out for you two. Clarke is not what she seems. We know she’s hiding something. And, on top of that, since several pages were ripped out of her file, Clarke is the only person who can tell us what secrets Lorelei got killed over,” Bellamy snapped, as Monty narrowed his eyes at him.

“Secrets that she won’t share because Lorelei successfully convinced her that she was crazy,” Monty pointed out, and Bellamy swallowed.

“Clarke is slowly putting the pieces together. I saw her face when my mother’s name was mentioned. She might have a breakthrough and realize she was right all along,” Bellamy said, and Monty gave him a sympathetic look.

“Bellamy, Clarke was only seven when Tsing started messing around inside her brain. Twelve, by the time her parents had her institutionalized. That shit runs deep. Clarke’s been suppressing those memories for over a decade. You can’t get your hopes up like this,” Jasper said in a sincere voice, putting his hand on Bellamy’s shoulder.

 

“Today’s guest of honor needs no introduction,” Cage announced with a smug grin, side glancing at his father. “He’s also kind of my dad,” he said with a teasing look, earning a bit of laughter from the crowd. “But, I was tasked with introducing the strongest man I’ve ever known. He started out as a mayor, whose name no one knew. It wasn’t until the tragedy of Mt. Weather where he stepped up and fought for our city to get the aid it desperately needed that the world learned his name,” Cage said, and the crowd erupted into cheers.

Bellamy forced himself to clap, not wanting to stand out. But, it was hard to clap for this man, especially since his reputation stood on how well he handled Mt. Weather. Bellamy knew this man differently than the world did. He saw Dante Wallace as the lackluster politician he was, who repeatedly cheated on his wife and whose career was built on the deaths of hundreds of innocent people. After all, Dante Wallace knew about the explosion before it ever happened.

“I’ve known him as Dad, as Mr. Mayor, as Senator Wallace,” Cage continued, as Dante’s smile grew. “And next, I hope to know him as President Wallace,” he announced, and the entire room roared with cheers and applause. Bellamy stood up with the crowd, clapping, as he shot a side glance to Octavia, who did not look amused.

Bellamy didn’t just know Wallace as the corrupt politician. No, he and Wallace went way back. After all, Aurora Blake was one of his first infidelities.

“Thank you all for this warm welcome,” Wallace said with a huge grin, and Bellamy could feel rage take over his entire body.

“We are going to rip him apart, limb from limb,” Octavia growled quietly into Bellamy’s ear. Bellamy glanced over at her, smirking slightly at her murderous glare.

His mother learned something while she was with Wallace. And, whatever it was, it tipped her off about Mt. Weather and cost Aurora her life.

“Crossing his name off the list won’t be enough. I want to watch him burn,” Bellamy whispered, earning a dark grin from Octavia.

 

When Bellamy finally saw Clarke, her arm was linked with Wells as she sat in the back with sunglasses on. Bellamy raised an eyebrow as he cautiously walked over, wondering why Clarke hadn’t been around to greet him when he arrived at the memorial.

Wells spotted him first, and shot him a warning look. Then, he stood up, as Clarke propped her feet up in his chair. Bellamy was behind her, so she hadn’t seen he was there. Wells tugged Bellamy by the arm, pulling him far enough away so that they were out of Clarke’s earshot.

“What’s going on?” Bellamy asked, wondering why this was the first time he was seeing Clarke since she got back or why no one had heard from her.

“She’s drunk,” Wells whispered, eyes wide.

“It’s ten in the morning,” Bellamy said in disbelief, glancing over at Clarke, whose head was swaying. People were slowly making their way outside, taking their seats for the memorial service.

“Well, apparently she had been drinking the whole plane ride over,” Wells said, jaw slightly tense. “Will you help me make sure she doesn’t actually talk to anyone? Abby is already panicked enough about the memorial, so I got put on babysitting duty,” Wells said with a huff. Bellamy could hear Octavia talking to Wallace over the earpieces, but he tried to tune it out.

“Yeah, of course. Is she okay?” Bellamy asked, not being able to take his eyes off Clarke.

“Clearly not. Clarke doesn’t get drunk,” Wells explained, clearly frustrated. Bellamy nodded, before walking over to Clarke.

“Hey, Clarke,” Bellamy said, and Clarke glanced up at him, lowering her sunglasses to narrow her eyes at him.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“I’m here to pay my respects to Dr. Tsing, just like you,” he replied, sitting down next to her. Her jaw clenched slightly, as she put her sunglasses back on. “I’m happy to see you again, by the way,” he said, trying not to snap at her. But, it was hard not to be mad when she took off for an entire week without a word of explanation.

“Sure,” Clarke muttered, turning her head to face forward. Bellamy’s jaw dropped slightly, wondering why she was acting so cold to him. He had been nothing but a good boyfriend since they first got together, and before she left, she was happy. What the hell had changed?

Wells came back, taking his seat on the other side of Clarke. “Clarke, have you told Bellamy where you’ve been for the past week?” Wells asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Why is everyone obsessed with what I’ve been up to?” Clarke snapped, tilting her head slightly. Of course, she leaned too far and lost her balance. Bellamy held her up, not that she seemed to be in an appreciative mood.

“We’re worried about you,” Wells said with gritted teeth, before grabbing Clarke’s hand.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Clarke mumbled, and Bellamy realized that the memorial was about to start.

“You could at least pretend to be sad,” Wells whispered, as Bellamy looked around the room, seeing Octavia seated next to Senator Wallace, who seemed to be interested in what she was pitching.

“Dr. Tsing taught me a long time ago that we can’t dwell on the dead. That it’s not healthy,” Clarke snapped, and this caught Bellamy’s attention.

“Clarke,” Wells said in a warning tone.

“What? I’m just honoring her by not shedding a fucking tear,” Clarke slurred, as Wells buried his face in his hands. Bellamy wrapped his arm around Clarke’s shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Her head shot up, brows furrowed.

“Let’s just get through the service,” Bellamy whispered before kissing her forehead. And, even though he could tell she wasn’t happy with him, she eventually leaned on his shoulder. Bellamy glanced back over at Wells, who looked so distraught. He scanned the room, looking for Abby and Thelonious. Jaha shot Bellamy a grateful look, meanwhile Abby looked tense.

 

“She’s pulling away from me,” Bellamy whispered as Octavia pressed her lips together.

“Something’s really wrong here,” Octavia said, with a bleak look on her face. Bellamy nodded. The service had been over for an hour now, and Wells was taking a turn trying to get Clarke to sober up.

“I don’t know what I did wrong. Everything was fine until that dumb dinner party,” he mumbled.

“Hearing our mother’s name wouldn’t be enough to make her unravel like this, right?” Octavia asked, tilting her head slightly.

“I don’t think so. But, there’s a lot of other stuff going on. I know she wasn’t happy about being used as a PR distraction, and she’s probably nervous about Jaha holding such a huge secret over her head.”

“Maybe being at the memorial is bringing up stuff about Clarke’s dad,” Octavia suggested with a shrug, and Bellamy nodded, thinking that could be what was wrong.

“But, to run off for a whole week?” he muttered, shaking his head slightly.

“You know, I used to do that a lot,” Octavia reminded him, not that he needed any reminding. Those times were burned into his brain. “It had a lot to do with the fact that I didn’t always feel like people cared about me. Maybe that’s what Clarke is doing now.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows at her.

“She’s acting out because her family clearly doesn’t care if she’s here or not, and she probably doesn’t feel like anyone genuinely cares for her.”

“But, I do. I’ve called her, and worried about her. There’s nothing else I can do to reassure her,” he muttered, glancing over toward the kitchen, seeing Wells trying to talk to Clarke.

“Well, she’s pulling away. You’ve got to figure out how to suck her back in, or our plan is fucked. Tell her you love her, I don’t know,” she said with a shrug.

“I don’t love her, though,” Bellamy snapped.

“Then, lie,” Octavia said with a frustrated expression on her face. Bellamy opened his mouth to argue with her, but thought better of it. “This is a fake relationship. Everything you do to her is a lie. So, do your job and lie so that you can stay close to her.”

Bellamy swallowed, now looking at the ground, thinking this over. He knew that one day he might have to do this, but he had hoped to avoid it. After all, it was what he told Octavia she would have to do when the plan was to target Wells. If the relationship was going to seem real, it had to eventually move along. Octavia was going to have to say she loved him, and hopefully, that would have been as far as it would go. But, if the revenge plan didn’t materialize quickly enough, Octavia was prepared to move in with him or get engaged to him. Whatever it took to keep him on the line. And, now, Bellamy had to be willing to do that to Clarke, knowing full well that with each step he took, the more he was going to hurt her.

Octavia walked back over to Wallace, discussing her new internship with his campaign. Bellamy wandered into the kitchen, dismissing Wells from his duties. Clarke’s head was on the countertop, and Bellamy knew this was as good as she was going to get all day.

Abby Griffin walked in, shooting Bellamy a concerned look.

“I can carry her upstairs,” he offered, and Clarke let out a small groan.

“Use the back staircase,” Abby sighed, pointing toward a door in the back of the room. She walked back into her living room, probably trying to keep attention away from how messed up her daughter was at a memorial service.

“Alright, let’s go, princess,” Bellamy groaned, picking Clarke up.

“Did you just call me princess?” she mumbled, putting her arms around his neck.

“Absolutely. It suits you quite well at the moment,” he replied, rolling his eyes as he carried her bridal style toward the back stairs.

“You’re being mean to me,” she whispered, eyes closed as her head rested on his chest.

“Well, you’ve been mean to me all day,” he snapped, and Clarke let out a huff. Once he was at the top of the stairs, he vaguely recognized where he was. He was right by the library and Wells’ room. “Clarke, which room is yours?”

She lifted her head up, eyes squinting, before lazily pointing at the room across from Wells’. Bellamy carried her in there, not bothering to turn on the light since it was afternoon and there was enough light shining through the window. He gently placed her on her bed, noticing how her face softened as soon as her head hit her pillow. Bellamy started tugging off her heels, before grabbing a blanket to cover her up. Then, he sat down on the other side of the bed, kicking his feet up on top of the covers. Clarke sighed, rolling over to prop her head up on his lap. Her eyes were closed, and Bellamy knew it would only be moments until she was out.

He let out a soft sigh, running his fingers through her curled hair. He rested his head back on her headboard, now looking around at Clarke’s room for the first time. Her walls were covered in paintings, that Bellamy assumed were hers. And, they were extraordinary. He vaguely recalls Clarke complaining about how her mother wouldn’t allow her to go to art school, and now, Bellamy understood the outrage. She was amazing.

He was admiring the one hung above her dresser when Abby walked in, carrying a bottle of water and aspirin.

“Is she asleep?” Abby whispered.

“Out cold,” Bellamy said with a smirk, and Abby let out a sigh.

“Thank you for taking care of her,” she said, sounding more genuine that Bellamy had ever heard her. He studied Abby’s face carefully, seeing so much concern and love on her face as she looked at Clarke. “If she tells you anything about what’s been going on with her, will you please tell me?” she asked, voice pleading. “I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

“Of course,” he reassured, surprised that he actually meant that. As much as he thought Abby Griffin was a monster, even monsters loved their children. And, Clarke needed someone to love her.

“She’s been through a lot, you know,” she said weakly, leaning against the closet door. “She was only six when her dad died, and it was the same week as Mt. Weather. And with this memorial, and the Mt. Weather anniversary coming up, a lot of that trauma might be coming back,” she explained, and Bellamy nodded, knowing all too well what she meant. This time of year was always hard for him and his sister too. Because, as the country grieved for Mt. Weather each year, they also had to grieve their mother.

It was a weird to think that for every year that Bellamy found himself sobbing and hyperventilating alone in his room, Clarke was probably doing the exact same thing. For eighteen years, they both spent August 3rd the exact same way. But, at least Bellamy had Octavia going through the same thing. All Clarke had was a mother who moved onto Jaha within a year of Jake’s death.

 

Hours passed before Clarke woke up, and she immediately reached for the water and aspirin.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, and Clarke let out a sigh.

“I’m fine,” she said, climbing out of bed.

“Clarke, what’s going on with you?” Bellamy asked, feeling a little bit desperate for a real answer. He had been sitting here for hours, worrying about Clarke as she slept off her drunkenness. He went through his plans for Wallace, thinking through each potential way things could go wrong. He tried to focus on coming up with theories about the whole Emerson thing. But, his brain kept coming back to Clarke.

“Nothing, I just got a little drunk. It was a long plane ride,” she shrugged it off, before pulling clothes out of her closet.

“Why didn’t you answer any of my calls?” Bellamy asked, now getting out of her bed.

“I don’t know,” she mumbled, not even turning around to look at him.

“Clarke, I missed you,” he confessed, noticing that his words only seemed to make Clarke tense up more.

“You know, I just remembered I have to make a few phone calls about an event coming up,” Clarke changed the subject. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she said, before walking into her bathroom and shutting the door.

She was definitely pulling away, which meant Bellamy had to do what he had been dreading.

 

“Spit it out,” Marcus snapped, causing Bellamy to blink a few times. Bellamy was sitting in his house, watching the feeds since he had no other task at the moment. Octavia, Monty, and Jasper had taken over the Wallace take down for the time being, arguing that Bellamy had other things he needed to be taking care of.

“What are you talking about?” Bellamy asked, looking up at Marcus who was across the table, on his laptop as well.

“You have been moping for two days straight. Also, you invited me over here for a reason, so get on with it,” he said with a smirk, and Bellamy wanted to argue that he wasn’t moping… he was just frustrated.

“I don’t know if you’re the person I should be talking about this with,” Bellamy started, pressing his lips together.

“Is this about Clarke’s recent behavior?” Marcus asked, narrowing his eyes at Bellamy. He reluctantly nodded, and Marcus let out a sigh. “Look, I’ve been watching the feeds just like you have. She’s been acting completely normal since the memorial.”

“But, she’s still pushing me out,” Bellamy groaned, thinking back to yesterday’s phone call with her. They spoke for less than five minutes, during which Clarke said very little. “Look, I know you wanted me to leave Clarke out of this…”

“Yes, that’s what I wanted. But, when I asked that of you, Clarke was far away from Arkadia. We made our agreement under the assumption that she would stay away,” Marcus jumped in, shutting his laptop. “Out of everyone in that house, she is the smartest choice for a mark.”

“So, I was right to go behind your back?” Bellamy asked with a small smile, and Marcus narrowed his eyes at him.

“Jaha and Abby are guilty, so they won’t play ball. And, from what I can tell, Wells knows nothing, so he would just be a way into the house. But, Clarke knows a lot, whether she realizes it or not, and being her boyfriend gets you a lot further with Abby.”

“Yeah, she seems to really like me,” Bellamy said, tilting his head slightly.

“Her relationship with Clarke is, well, not great. So, approving of the guy she’s with is her way of earning some bonus points with Clarke,” Marcus said, flexing his hands over his head.

“Octavia says I need to do something to pull her back in… but, I also want to minimize how much Clarke gets hurt,” Bellamy explained, looking down at his hands as he spoke.

“Bellamy, hundreds of people died in Mt. Weather. You lost your mother. And there’s no telling how many people have lost someone over the coverup. Meanwhile, these people profited off it,” Marcus started, and this was a speech Bellamy had memorized. “I love Clarke. I would do anything to protect her. But, if her enduring some emotional pain is the price to pay for getting justice for hundreds of victims, it’s a price I am okay with.”

Bellamy’s eyes flickered up to his, not sure he should be shocked by this. Marcus was a firm believer that the ends justified the means, and Bellamy was the same way.

“She can handle a heartbreak. She’s done it before. She’ll live. And, when all of this is over, I trust that she’ll understand… maybe not forgive, but at least understand,” Marcus said before swallowing. “So, whatever it is that you think you need to do when it comes to her, you have my permission. But, only what is necessary.”

 

It took hours of watching her in the feed before he decided to call her. It also took a few drinks. Clarke was sitting in the library, doing some kind of research, probably for one of her upcoming events. And, when Bellamy hit call, he prayed that Clarke actually answered this time.

She glanced at her phone, and took a deep breath. And, for a moment, he really thought she wasn’t going to answer. But, she decided to.

“Hey,” Clarke said, brows furrowed as she leaned back on the desk chair.

“Hey, Clarke,” Bellamy said, sighing slightly as he said her name.

“What’s up?” she asked, as if this was a totally normal conversation and that she hadn’t been avoiding him.

“I was wondering if you wanted to come over. I haven’t seen you much lately and I miss you,” he confessed, hoping that if he sprinkled in some truth, it would make the lie he was planning on telling her much more believable.

Clarke let out a sigh, running her other hand through her hair. “Bellamy, I’m not sure that’s a great idea.”

“Clarke.”

“Look, we kind of got thrown into this when my step-father sprung his PR plan on us, and things are just moving so fast…” she said exasperatedly. Bellamy knew that either Jasper or Monty were watching this feed from their apartment, which meant they would know exactly what would happen. Bellamy was tempted to let Clarke end things, but he knew everyone else would be furious with him, knowing that he chickened out of his own plan.

“I was fine with that. And, before you took off, you were too.” Clarke swallowed, with a strange expression on her face.

“I don’t know, Bellamy,” Clarke replied finally.

“Please, stop pulling away from me,” Bellamy pleaded, hoping she would cave right now so he didn’t have to go any further. But, he watched her face carefully, seeing that she was still on the fence… meaning, he had to say something that would push her in his direction. “Look, I know we haven’t known each other that long, but I can’t stop thinking about you,” he started, and he could see Clarke’s stoic expression melt slightly. He took in another breath. “I’m falling for you, Clarke.”

Her brows furrowed at those words, as she sat a little straighter. At least he caught her attention.

“What?” Clarke asked quickly, fingers brushing through her hair again. Bellamy sat up, leaning closer to his computer monitor so he didn’t miss a single thing about her reaction.

“I love you,” he said, hating himself as the words fell off his lips. For half a second, Clarke looked shocked, but in a good way. But, he could see doubt start to creep back on her face. He could see the wheels start to turn, as she worried her bottom lip.

The seconds of silence following his confession were killing him. His thoughts were racing, wondering what Clarke could possibly be thinking. She was probably thinking that this was too soon or was coming up with a way to turn him down.

She stood up from her seat, walking toward one of the bookshelves. Her back was now to the camera, meaning Bellamy couldn’t see her face.

Bellamy had never said those words to someone he wasn’t related to. He imagined that if he ever heard them in return, it would be one of the happiest moments in his life. But, as Clarke whispered, “I love you too,” Bellamy felt like his heart had stopped beating altogether. He lied to Clarke when he said it, but she meant it. And, Bellamy had to find a way to live with that crippling guilt.

 

“How do we not have anything on this guy?” Octavia groaned, pulling her hair as she paced inside Jasper’s living room.

“Because Wallace probably hired the same guy that Jaha uses,” Monty groaned. The plan was always for them to blackmail Wallace into stepping down, then exposing him and ruining any chance he had of running for any office. And while they had a long list of his former mistresses, curtesy of Marcus, they had no actual proof. There was nothing to spook him with.

“We’re just gonna have to get creative,” Bellamy groaned before taking another sip of his beer. He had been having a rough couple of days since he got Clarke back. She was just as sweet to him as she was before, if not more so, now that she thought they were in love. When she slept in his bed, he couldn’t sleep. He found himself keeping a stress ball in his hand when they were on the phone, since his hands couldn’t take anymore clenching.

“Oh, that’s shady as fuck,” Jasper mumbled, which caught Bellamy’s attention. “So, Abby just left the house and all the sudden, Clarke emerges,” Jasper explained as he put the feed up on the big screen. Even Marcus seemed interested now, as he slowly walked into the room.

“She avoids her mom. That’s her whole thing,” Monty groaned, not taking the bait.

“No, she’s heading toward Jaha’s study,” Bellamy said, watching the smirk on Jaha’s face grow as Clarke shut the door behind her. This caught Monty’s attention as he rushed into the living room.

“Sorry, she’s been hovering around me,” Clarke explained before dropping a folder on Jaha’s desk. His dark smile grew as he opened it up, looking through its contents.

“Well, after your performance at the memorial, it’s to be expected,” he replied, and Clarke let out a sigh. “For a moment, you even had me fooled.”

Bellamy’s eyes widened as he glanced around at his friends.

“Told you we needed to be careful with her,” Jasper said smugly, leaning back, putting his hands over his head.

“Well, we don’t exactly need Mom to know why I left the country,” Clarke replied coolly, her hands resting on her lap.

“Still, she really thought you were having a nervous breakdown there. She lost a lot of sleep over it,” he replied, leaning forward slightly.

“You don’t seem too concerned,” Clarke observed, tilting her head slightly.

“Eh, let her suffer a little bit,” Jaha said with a shrug, and Bellamy could see Marcus tense up out of the corner of his eye. “And, give Alie my thanks for tracking this down for me,” he continued, tapping on the folder. Bellamy saw Monty’s eyes light up, before he ran back toward the kitchen to grab his laptop. He started typing away furiously, and Bellamy got a horrible feeling in his chest.

“She thinks it was for me. I thought that was best considering your complicated relationship,” Clarke said with a smirk, and Jaha swallowed.

“Is this the only copy?” Jaha asked, and Clarke’s smirk only grew.

“There’s one other. I’m holding on to it, just in case,” Clarke replied.

“You’re learning,” Jaha smirked. “And, I’m assuming Alie helped you with whatever it was you needed.”

Clarke pressed her lips together, leaning back slightly. “She helped me back up a theory that I confirmed when I got back. Now, as for what you promised me…” Clarke said, and Bellamy exchanged a look with Marcus.

“Do you have any idea what she’s talking about?” Bellamy asked, as Marcus’ jaw clenched. He shook his head, his eyes glued to the screen.

“Of course. A deal is a deal, Clarke,” Jaha said, sliding a piece of paper over to Clarke. She took a brief look at it, and smiled.

“Jasper, come here,” Monty shouted, and Jasper immediately ran across the room to him. Bellamy saw a panicked expression on Monty’s face.

“Guys, what’s going on?” Bellamy asked, standing up to go over to them. Then, he heard Clarke’s voice over the feed and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Before I go, I do have a question for you,” Clarke said in an almost threatening voice.

“I do hope this isn’t another one of your conspiracy theories. That stopped being cute years ago,” Jaha snapped. Clarke stood up, bracing both of her hands on Jaha’s desk. He could barely make out her facial expressions, since the camera angle didn’t allow for it.

“It’s about the guy they think killed Dr. Tsing, Carl Emerson,” Clarke started, and Jaha tilted his head as if to indicate that she had his attention. “I recognized him.”

“Let’s not go around telling people that. It might be another one of those things you made up as a kid,” Jaha blew her off, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s face tense up.

“Right,” Clarke snapped, eyes narrowed at Jaha. “Sometimes I forget that I was crazy,” she deadpanned, and Bellamy exchanged a hopeful glance with Octavia. Clarke might actually know the truth after all.

She started moving toward the door, looking pissed off. “I just wonder how long it’ll take them to make the connection that Carl Emerson was the first responder on the day of my dad’s car crash. What a wild coincidence,” she said as she opened the door.

“Clarke.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” was the last thing she said before slamming the door shut.

Bellamy let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding, as he evaluated everyone else in the room. Marcus was already rushing over to his laptop, clearly having some sort of explanation for what was going on. Bellamy could see Octavia try to make sense of what she just saw, especially since Bellamy was trying to do the same thing.

Clarke was clearly up to something, and not having a clue what that might be was going to drive Bellamy mad. He was worried he was getting paranoid, but, with a Griffin, it was better to be safe than sorry. He was also convinced that Clarke remembered everything her mother tried to suppress, and that she probably knew that all of it was true. Maybe it was because she heard Aurora’s name. That might have made it all click… which might be why Clarke was pulling back from Bellamy earlier.

And then, there was the issue of Carl Emerson. There was no way that was a coincidence. Bellamy opened his mouth to get Jasper to check it out, but shut it as soon as he saw the frantic look on both his and Monty’s faces.

“Guys, what’s going on?” Octavia asked.

“We need all of your devices… your computers, your phones, tablets… whatever,” Monty said quickly, blinking rapidly.

“Talk to us,” Bellamy said.

“It’s Alie,” Monty said, shaking his head. Bellamy looked at Jasper who had an equally pained expression on his face.

“We need to make everything more secure, in case one of them gets Alie to check into us,” Jasper explained, letting out a breath once he was finished.

“Who the fuck is Alie?” Octavia snapped, and Bellamy put his hand on her shoulder.

“A person who is way better at this stuff than us,” Monty mumbled, and Marcus groaned as he walked into the kitchen, eyeing both Monty and Jasper carefully.

“You two are computer geniuses. Why are you scared of this Alie person?” he growled, narrowing his eyes at them both.

“You knew her as Becca,” Monty replied quickly, clenching his jaw.

Bellamy saw Marcus’ face shift to complete horror and panic. Then, he turned to look at Bellamy and Octavia’s confused faces. “Becca is who detonated that bomb in Mt. Weather. She’s been a ghost ever since,” he explained, and Bellamy could feel his heart try to pound its way out of his chest.

“And, your girlfriend apparently knows exactly where to find her,” Jasper added in, as Bellamy sank to the floor, finding it hard to breathe.

“Bellamy,” Marcus said, walking over to him, and leaning down. “Clarke has no way of knowing that Alie is Becca. She’s just paying her to hide what she’s up to from her family. But, Jaha knows exactly who Alie is. And, since she is still in his orbit, we need to press pause until we know about the nature of their relationship,” Marcus broke it down for him in a calm, soothing voice. Bellamy nodded along.

“No one knows what we’re up to,” Octavia reassured, crouching down next to him, and rubbing his shoulder. “We just need to make sure all of our stuff is secure. And, we need to take some time anyway to figure out how to deal with Wallace.”

“Right,” Bellamy said, nodding as he stood back up. He cleared his throat, getting himself back together. “Jasper and Monty, get to work covering our bases and we’ll give you all our electronics,” he ordered, before turning back to Octavia and Marcus. “O, you and I are on Wallace duty. And, Marcus…”

“I’m going to get to work on figuring out what Clarke knows,” Marcus interrupted, and Bellamy nodded.

He took a deep breath, reminding himself that his plan wasn’t falling apart just yet. They just had to be more careful going forward. He tried his best to ignore his panic. There was nothing he could personally do about Alie at the moment. And, speculating on what business Clarke has with Alie was a surefire way to cost Bellamy another night’s sleep.

He had so many unanswered questions about Clarke’s exchange with Jaha, all the way from her showing up drunk to the memorial to what he offered her in exchange for her help.

Bellamy’s plan might still be intact, but he was falling apart.


	6. Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. Ya'll, I gotta warn you... This one gets really dark. Like you should be fine until the very end. I threw in some smut. But, brace yourself for a sad, dark ending to this chapter.

The years before Marcus stepped into Bellamy’s life were a bit of a blur, full of rage and confusion. He imagined it was just as bad for Octavia, although he hardly saw her during those years. It wasn’t until Marcus taught him how to confront his demons that Bellamy got some semblance of control.

Octavia learned, too… but not to the extent that Bellamy had to. He liked to believe this was because she didn’t have as many demons as Bellamy did. After all, Marcus swooped in just in time for her to start high school. Bellamy wasn’t so lucky.

Once Bellamy realized that the worst had already happened to him, controlling his demons became a lot easier. He survived losing his mother, thinking she killed herself. He got out of that abusive foster home. He made it through his time in juvenile hall. And, he found Octavia again. So, his demons could go fuck themselves.

But, he did get a kick out of watching others struggle with theirs. Especially because he knows the worst hasn’t happened to them yet. But, he intends to change that.

“Don’t you walk away from me,” Jaha shouted, following Abby into the kitchen. Bellamy had been watching the feed for a while now. Clarke and Wells were both out of the house. And, when Jaha dismissed the staff for the day, Bellamy knew something good was coming. So, he locked his office door and made himself comfortable.

“Get away from me,” Abby growled, heading toward the cabinet to pull out a bottle of wine. Jaha braced his hands on either side of the counter with a frustrated look on his face.

“I wasn’t done talking to you,” he snapped, and Abby’s eyes widened.

“You’re blackmailing your own wife. I think the conversation is over,” Abby snapped, before pulling out the bottle opener. This caught Bellamy’s interest, realizing that was what Clarke handed over to Jaha. Although, he wasn’t sure how he felt about Clarke agreeing to help Jaha blackmail Abby.

“I wouldn’t call it blackmail. I’m just reminding you of what all I’ve forgiven you for,” Jaha said with a smirk, before Abby threw the bottle opener right at his head. Jaha ducked just in time, looking back to see the bottle opener slam into the wall.

“Go to hell,” Abby yelled, and Jaha gripped the counter tightly.

“Oh, darling, I’m already there,” he said in a condescending tone. “Now, I would like to talk about something Clarke said to me.”

This caught Abby’s attention, whose face immediately melted into concern. If Bellamy’s hunch was correct and Clarke was manipulating her mother, he would say it was working. Ever since Clarke’s drunk stunt at the memorial, Abby has been nothing but a caring, doting mother, who hasn’t been asking Clarke any questions. If anything, she looks overwhelmingly guilty.

“You know, when Tsing died, I actually thought it was Clarke,” Jaha said, with a tilted head. Those words made Bellamy feel uneasy. While he knew it couldn’t have been Clarke, it was unnerving that Jaha would think Clarke was capable.

“That’s ridiculous,” Abby snapped quickly, and Jaha started smiling softly.

“Well, the police combed through Tsing’s office carefully. Clarke didn’t look so innocent once my friends informed me that several pages of her old file had been ripped out,” Jaha explained, narrowing his eyes at Abby. Bellamy knew exactly what pages Jaha was referring to, since these were pages he had been thinking about since they stole her file. He imagined that whatever damning information Clarke had about Mt. Weather were on them.

“What?” Abby shouted, and Bellamy could see the panic take over her face.

“I just assumed it had to be Clarke. It would make sense. She pays Emerson to take out Tsing and get that information from her office,” Jaha broke it down as he walked around the counter toward Abby.

“Clarke isn’t that kind of person, Thelonious,” Abby said, clenching her eyes shut.

“She’s your daughter,” Jaha snapped, and Abby immediately slapped him across the face. Jaha blinked a few times, shaking his head slightly. “But, then she told me she recognized Emerson.” Abby’s eyes widened, and Bellamy suddenly realized who murdered Dr. Tsing. “Didn’t think you would be so stupid to use the same tool twice,” Jaha smirked, before grabbing the bottle of wine from Abby’s hands.

“Thelonious,” Abby said weakly, stepping toward him as he poured himself a glass.

“She thinks it was me, not you,” Jaha said, leaning back against the counter and taking a sip, acting way too calm.

“She should have stayed in Polis,” Abby said, shaking her head.

“Oh, no. She’s staying right where I can keep an eye on her,” Jaha said, narrowing his eyes at Abby. “But, don’t worry. I have a plan to keep her distracted,” was the last thing he said before pushing himself off the counter and walking toward the door.

“Thelonious,” Abby said frantically, chasing after him. As Bellamy flipped through the feeds, he saw Jaha slam his study door shut, right in Abby’s face. She pounded on the door, her back to the camera. “If Clarke doesn’t have those pages, that means someone else does!” she shouted, and Jaha opened the door with an annoyed expression on his face.

Bellamy pressed his lips together, thinking this over. He had been under the assumption that either Jaha or Abby had the rest of Clarke’s file. After all, that made the most sense. They would want to keep that information in their possession in case something like Tsing’s murder happened and the police started combing through the confidential files. And, if it wasn’t Abby or Jaha, the next suspect on the list would be Clarke, who had her own reasons for wanting that information… regardless of if she thought what she said was true or not.

So, Bellamy didn’t have a clue who had the information he had been looking for. But, he just made it his mission to find it before they did.

 

“I had a lightbulb moment earlier,” Octavia whispered as soon as they were left alone. They were at yet another charity event, this time for some shelter or something. Bellamy was having a hard time keeping track of all these causes along with which tie he wore to each. He had to keep a chart.

“How rare,” Bellamy teased before Octavia elbowed him in the side. He raised an eyebrow at her scrunched face, before smirking.

“It’s about Wallace,” she started, and now she had his undivided attention. After his freak out a few days ago, things had been moving at a glacial pace. Monty and Jasper were hard at work putting up a new alert system, so they would be alerted if Alie started snooping around. Marcus had been spending more time in the Griffin-Jaha household, but was making very little progress with Clarke, who seemed cold and distant toward him at best. Meanwhile, Bellamy and Octavia hadn’t found a creative solution to taking down Senator Wallace.

“Keep talking,” Bellamy whispered, turning slightly so he had a better view of the room. Clarke was flittering about the room, talking to people with a cheerful expression on her face. This wasn’t her event, so she was much more relaxed. And, neither Jaha nor Abby were here. Wells was in the corner of the room, downing champagne like it was water, while he and Harper talked to Diana Sydney.

“Just because we can’t find any dirt on Wallace doesn’t mean that no one can,” Octavia explained, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at her. “I can think of at least one person who likes to hold onto information in case he needs to blackmail someone.” Bellamy blinked a few times, wondering what Octavia meant by that. It wasn’t like they could just get into Jaha’s computer and see what all he has on Wallace. Bellamy didn’t have enough access to the house, and until the whole Alie thing is covered, Jasper and Monty won’t even try to access it remotely.

“Should we just go up to him and ask really nicely if he would help us blackmail someone?” Bellamy joked, and Octavia let out a groan.

“We don’t have to,” she said, and Bellamy tilted his head in confusion. “What I’m saying is that Jaha might be inclined to take him down on his own if he felt threatened by Senator Wallace.”

Bellamy started smiling, amazed that they hadn’t thought of this sooner. Jaha could eviscerate some of these people in ways that Bellamy could never dream of. All they had to do was give Jaha motive to finish him off. “You’re a genius,” Bellamy replied, beaming at Octavia. He held his arm out for her, and she linked her arm with his.

As much as he didn’t like to, they needed to keep up appearances, which meant being social at these little gatherings. Clarke spotted them and signaled for them to come over. She was now with Echo and Cage, his least favorite people… well, his least favorite people that he wasn’t actively seeking revenge on.

“Hey,” Clarke said excitedly, and Bellamy bent down to kiss her cheek. Octavia happily greeted Echo with a hug, as Bellamy ignored the glare from Cage.

“We were just talking about you,” Echo said with a fake smile plastered on her face, raising an eyebrow at Bellamy.

“Only good things, I hope,” Bellamy tried to joke, as Clarke held his hand. Echo pursed her lips, before glancing over at Cage, who was forcing a smile.

“I half expected Jasper and Monty to show up to this,” Cage said, putting his hands in his pockets.

“Well, they’ve been hard at work with a new prototype, and they haven’t exactly been getting a lot of sleep lately. They’re probably too tired to come out,” Bellamy shrugged, as Cage nodded, pressing his lips together.

“Oh, Octavia, I was going to introduce you to a friend of mine,” Echo said excitedly, before grabbing Octavia by the hand and dragging her off.

“Do I want to know?” Bellamy asked Clarke who had a smirk on her face.

“She has this friend named Ilian in town and is introducing him to literally everyone hoping to find him a date,” Cage said, sounding almost annoyed. “Don’t worry. Octavia would never go for him.”

“I’m also pretty sure Ilian doesn’t want to be set up,” Clarke added in, rolling her eyes. “But, when Echo sets her mind to something…”

Then, Cage saw something, and started furrowing his eyebrows. “Excuse me,” he mumbled, before taking off. Bellamy turned his head to try and see what Cage saw, but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“Finally,” Clarke muttered as soon as he was out of earshot, and Bellamy turned his head back to look at her.

“Eager to get me alone?” Bellamy teased, putting his arm around her waist.

“Always,” Clarke said with a smirk, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She started pulling him toward the side of the room, which by now he knew as her way of telling other people to leave her alone. He had been studying Clarke for a while now, noticing that when she stayed toward the middle of the room during these events it was like a signal that anyone could come talk to her. But, she only designated so much of each of these nights to being social. That’s when she drifted off toward the sides, altering her body language to seem less approachable. It was subtle, but, amazingly, quite effective.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” Bellamy asked, whispering right into her ear. Her eyes flickered up to his, and he could see the blush creep onto her face.

“Yes, but you could tell me again,” Clarke teased, and Bellamy’s hand cupped her jaw.

“You look beautiful,” he said, before pecking her lips. She started grinning, which only made her more beautiful, if he was being honest with himself. Clarke was always attractive, usually perfectly manicured, and well-dressed, especially at events like these. It was easy for Bellamy to forget how gorgeous she was, since it had become such a normal part of his every day. “Aren’t you going to tell me how beautiful I look?” Bellamy teased, and Clarke scrunched her face up playfully, earning a small chuckle from Bellamy.

“Your ego doesn’t need the compliment,” she teased back, adjusting his tie slightly. “You know exactly how you look.” Bellamy smiled smugly, pulling Clarke in just half an inch closer.

“And how do I look?” he asked, voice low, as Clarke’s eyes lingered on his mouth.

She glanced over her shoulder, before getting up on her toes to whisper right in his ear, “As nice and handsome and downright sexy as you look, you’d look better inside of me.” And, Bellamy gripped her waist even tighter.

“Are you trying to kill me?” he growled into her ear, reminding himself that he was around a lot of people at the moment.

“Maybe,” she smirked, not even looking up at him.

“You are not fair at all,” Bellamy whispered, glancing around the room. Then, something caught his eye. That security guy that works for Jaha was there, looking right at Bellamy. He tilted his head slightly, confused as to what he would be doing here if Jaha wasn’t.

“Maybe you should do something about that,” Clarke teased, before pressing a kiss to his cheek. Bellamy blinked a few times, trying to get out of his own thoughts. He didn’t need to overthink Dax being there. And, Bellamy had a very beautiful girlfriend that deserved all of his attention.

 

“Bellamy, have you done anything shady lately?” Monty asked from across the room. Bellamy tilted his head slightly, genuinely trying to remember if he had.

“As far as I know, no. Why?” he asked hesitantly, looking over Octavia’s shoulder as she crafted the first message they were going to send to Jaha.

“Because someone has been looking into your background,” Monty said, and Bellamy let out a groan, before standing up and walking over to him.

“So, Alie is on to us?” he asked, trying not to sound freaked out.

“No, this person isn’t as good as Alie. But, they’re persistent,” Monty explained.

“Probably because they can’t find any dirt on me,” he mumbled, trying to get in the head of a person who would be looking into him. He had a growing list of people who could become suspicious of him, but he had to imagine that they all thought the same way. No one had a perfectly clean background… Clarke Griffin was a perfect example of that. All you had to do was keep digging, and eventually the secrets start popping up. Which meant whoever was coming after Bellamy wouldn’t stop until they found something.

“May I make a suggestion?” Monty asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. Bellamy tilted his head to indicate he was listening. “We could let them find something about you. Nothing about your mom or anything like that, but something old and scandalous that makes them think they’ve found the worst of it.”

Bellamy glanced over to Octavia, almost asking her for permission. She tilted her head slightly, considering the options. “It needs to be something that you could spin in your favor. You need to still seem like a great guy, just in case it’s Jaha or Abby who are looking into you,” she said, before turning her attention back to her screen.

“What about something that when explained makes me look like a good guy?” Bellamy pondered, pacing behind Monty.

“That could work. You know, whoever it is could try to use it to make you look bad, and you can flip it around on them,” Monty mused, tilting his head toward Bellamy.

“If this person has it out for me, this would expose them to us,” Bellamy realized, nodding slightly. “Let them find my juvy records.”

Monty smirked, now typing away furiously at his laptop. Bellamy started to walk back into the living room, pausing momentarily to look down the hallway. Jasper’s bedroom door was still shut, and there was no light on in his room. Bellamy let out a sigh, knowing it was probably best to leave him alone. Today was always a hard day for Jasper, and he would be back to normal by morning. But, his absence was deeply felt in the room. He just hoped that when all of this was over, Jasper would be able to make peace with what happened to Maya.

“I hit send,” Octavia said excitedly, and Bellamy made fast work of getting the video feed up on the tv screen. Jaha was sitting on one of the couches in the upstairs library, scrolling through his laptop. His eyes widened slightly, and Bellamy knew exactly what he was seeing.

“Abby!” he yelled, louder than Bellamy had ever heard Jaha speak. Even when he was angry, he didn’t betray much emotion. But, Bellamy recognized what was on Jaha’s face: complete and utter panic.

Bellamy could hear Abby’s frantic steps rushing into the library, and Bellamy smirked over at Octavia, whose plan was looking flawless.

“Close the door,” Jaha ordered, dropping his laptop onto the couch. Abby did as he asked, and quickly made her way over to him. “I need you to ask Marcus for a favor.”

“Absolutely not,” she snapped, and Bellamy wondered about the nature of their relationship with Marcus. There was obviously a familiarity there, especially with how close he was to Jake Griffin, or how fond he was of Clarke. But, Marcus had only spoken of Abby and Thelonious with distain. Then, he shows up to Arkadia, and Abby hugs him like he’s family. Something wasn’t right here.

“He’s still close with the DA. I need him to confirm a rumor for me,” Jaha explained, the panic rising in his voice as he spoke in hushed tones.

“First, you use him to blackmail me, and now you want me to suck up to him,” she growled, and Octavia looked at Bellamy with a confused look on her face. Bellamy wished he had an explanation for her, but, of course, he didn’t. None of this was making sense to Bellamy.

Jaha thrust his laptop into Abby’s hands, and her expression grew grave.

“That son of a bitch,” she snapped loudly, as Jaha pressed his lips together. “I knew we couldn’t trust him.”

“We don’t know if it’s true yet. I don’t even know who sent this to me,” Jaha said, sounding frustrated. “Call Marcus, and if it’s true, we’ll take care of Wallace like we should have done years ago.”

Abby looked up at him with an almost timid look in her eye, but she quickly regained control over her face. She handed the laptop back to him, before storming out of the room. Bellamy flipped the feeds around, looking for the living room shot.

Then, Abby was approached by Dax, who had been waiting at the top of the stairs. He handed her a packet, and she started smirking.

“Thank you,” she whispered, peering around the room as she spoke. She was probably wondering where Clarke was and if she could hear her. But, Clarke was tucked away in the kitchen with Echo, and had been a while.

“I finally found something interesting for you, Mrs. Griffin,” Dax said, and Abby’s eyes lit up.

“Keep it up. Also, I need you to do one more thing for me,” she said, putting her arm around Dax as she pulled him further into the living room. “Tonight, Senator Wallace will be out of his home for a campaign fundraiser.”

“No explanation necessary,” Dax interrupted her confidently, and Bellamy saw Monty’s head pop up.

“Just as thorough as you were with Pike, understood?” she said, and Dax nodded before ducking out of the room.

“Well, at least we know she didn’t order a hit,” Monty tried to joke, and Bellamy tilted his head at him. “Unless Pike recently got killed and we missed it,” Monty continued the joke, but it just wasn’t working for him.

“You tried,” Octavia said, and Monty started groaning.

“If Jasper were in here, he would find this funny,” Monty mumbled, now angrily typing on his computer. Bellamy flipped over to the kitchen camera, since that’s where Abby was heading. Octavia was texting Marcus, and Bellamy leaned back on the couch, trying to imagine just how Jaha would dismantle Wallace.

“How are you, Mrs. Griffin?” he heard Echo ask in an all too eager tone.

“I’m doing just fine. Thank you for asking,” Abby said, as she brushed past Clarke. Clarke was hard at work baking yet another batch of cupcakes… and to be honest, Bellamy was just surprised she knew how to cook. But, she had been baking since the day started, while Echo sat at the counter and heckled her about it.

Abby dropped the packet Dax had handed her on the counter, before picking up one of the empty frosting containers and taking it over to the trash.

“Clarke, why are there flowers in the trash?” Abby asked, tilting her head back toward Clarke.

“They’re from Cage,” Echo answered with a smirk, and Clarke flicked some cake batter at her.

“Someone’s moving in on your girl,” Monty heckled Bellamy from the table, and Bellamy let out an annoyed groan. He knew Cage was after Clarke, and was in control of that situation. After all, Clarke loves Bellamy, so he should be fine. Plus, she’s repulsed by Cage.

“Well, that was so sweet of him, Clarke,” Abby snapped, walking over and pressing her palm on the counter, glaring at Clarke.

“After the fifth bouquet and my repeatedly asking him to stop, it no longer falls in the sweet category,” Clarke snapped, and Echo rolled her eyes.

“Guess I should stop calling you Clarke Wallace,” Echo joked, earning a glare from Clarke.

“Well, maybe it’s for the best you stay away from Cage for a while,” Abby said, narrowing her eyes slightly. Bellamy glanced over at Octavia who was smirking. They were already distancing themselves from the Wallace name. Even if the rumor proved to be untrue, the doubt has already crept in.

“Also, I have a boyfriend. You both know that,” Clarke groaned, measuring out a cup of sugar.

“And, you love him,” Echo teased, and Abby’s head whipped back quickly to look at Clarke in confusion. Clarke let out a huff, glancing up at her mother.

“Spit it out,” Clarke snapped, as Abby pressed her lips together.

“Things are moving a little quickly, don’t you think?” she asked, and Clarke’s jaw clenched.

“Aww, your future mother-in-law doesn’t approve,” Monty shouted, and Bellamy threw a pillow across the room and smacked Monty right in the head with it.

“That’s all I wanted to say,” Abby said with a shrug, before picking up the packet and walking toward the back stairs. As soon as she was gone, Clarke gave Echo a murderous glare.

“What? She’s right,” Echo snapped, pointing a finger at Clarke.

“Okay, you have been gunning for Bellamy since he arrived in Arkadia. What’s the deal?” Clarke asked exasperatedly.

“Finally,” Bellamy groaned, earning a chuckle from Octavia. But, in all honesty, he was glad someone finally called Echo out on it. It had been driving him crazy. She was always rude and dismissive to him, plus she badmouthed him to Clarke at every possible opportunity.

“I’m just looking out for you. We don’t want another Lexa situation,” Echo said, and Bellamy exchanged a look with Octavia. That’s the first time they had heard that name.

“Okay, Bellamy is Marcus Kane’s kid. He will never be after the money. He’s doing just fine,” Clarke replied, throwing a spatula into the sink.

“Not everyone is bought by money, Clarke,” Echo said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, we need to get rid of Echo,” Octavia muttered, crossing her arms.

“There’s no way she knows anything,” Bellamy argued, and Octavia let out a groan.

“No, she’s an idiot. But, she’s picking up on something. And, we don’t need her putting more doubt in Clarke’s head,” she replied, and Bellamy knew she was right.

 

Bellamy checked out of whatever Clarke and Cage were debating about as soon as he saw Abby walk across the room to Marcus.

“A word?” he could faintly hear Abby ask over the earpiece as the two of them slipped behind a corner. He glanced over at Octavia who was hiding her smirk behind her glass of wine as she talked to that Ilian guy Echo introduced her to.

Clarke was tucked into Bellamy’s side, leaning against him as his hand rested on her waist. They weren’t getting as many glances as they used to, which Bellamy was relieved by.

“They wouldn’t tell me anything official, of course,” Marcus said over the earpiece. “But, I know that an immunity deal has been drafted.”

“But, you don’t know if it’s for Dante?” he heard Abby ask. Bellamy kept his eyes trained on Cage, who was talking very excitedly about something. Bellamy threw in a few nods, trying to look like he was paying attention.

“He would neither confirm nor deny that. But, once they get whatever new evidence this person promised, the DA is confident they will reopen the Mt. Weather investigation,” Marcus said so confidently that Bellamy almost believed the lie.

“You’re free, right?” Clarke asked, snapping Bellamy back into focus.

“What?” he asked, blinking a few times.

“For Senator Wallace’s campaign fundraiser at my house on Friday,” Clarke said, studying Bellamy’s face closely.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” he recovered, noticing the slight wince from Cage’s face. Clarke’s head popped up, and Bellamy could see that she saw something that caught her off guard, but before he could follow up on that, he heard something confusing over the earpiece.

“I hope you didn’t come back for me,” Abby said, and Bellamy glanced over at Octavia and Monty who both looked just as surprised.

“Trust me, I didn’t,” Marcus said harshly, and Bellamy swallowed.

“Bell?” Clarke said, tugging his arm slightly. Bellamy looked back at her, noticing that Cage had taken off.

“Sorry,” Bellamy mumbled, as Clarke adjusted the lapels on his jacket.

“You’re distracted,” she frowned, and Bellamy let out a sigh. She was right, of course. He had too many questions about Marcus to also stay focused on his girlfriend.

“I’m sorry,” he said, cupping Clarke’s face with his hands and kissing her forehead.

“I know how you can make it up to me,” she said with a giddy smirk, and Bellamy tilted his head in confusion. She grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward the door. Bellamy glanced back at Octavia, who rolled her eyes at him. But, there wasn’t much else for them to do tonight, so it would probably be okay if Bellamy disappeared for a moment.

Once he was out in the hallway, Clarke gestured for him to follow before turning around, still holding his hand. Bellamy quickly took out his earpiece while she wasn’t looking, and turned it off, putting it in his pocket. He really didn’t need his sister in his ear while he was alone with Clarke.

“I thought you wanted to look at all the paintings,” Bellamy groaned playfully, and Clarke let out a small chuckle. But, she kept moving down the hallway, clearly knowing exactly where she was going. He could only imagine how many times she showed up to openings at this exact gallery over the years.

Then, she stopped, and opened a door. Bellamy glanced inside, realizing this was just a storage closet. Then, Clarke tugged him inside.

“What has gotten into you?” Bellamy asked, as Clarke shut the door behind them.

“You’ve just been so busy lately,” she said as she backed him up against a wall. She started kissing his neck, and Bellamy closed his eyes, letting his fingers run through her hair. “I just wanted you to myself,” she whispered against his throat, before gently biting his skin.

“Clarke Griffin, you are trouble,” he whispered, tugging her back by her hair so he could see her face. Then, he crashed his lips into hers, feeling her immediately moan into his mouth.

“You have no idea,” she teased against his lips, before pressing her entire body against his, letting her lips melt back into his. His hands gripped her back tightly, holding onto the soft fabric of her dress. Her hand travelled down his stomach, before resting right over his cock, feeling his bulge through the fabric of his pants.

“Someone could come looking for us,” Bellamy warned, as Clarke started unbuttoning his pants.

“Then, let’s give them a show,” Clarke joked, and Bellamy pushed off the wall, and backed Clarke into the other wall, hiking her dress up. The growl that slipped off his lips when he realized she wasn’t wearing underwear was hungry and desperate. A whimper escaped Clarke’s lips as he gathered her arousal on his fingers.

“How long have you been wanting to drag me back here, baby?” Bellamy whispered right into her ear, before kissing below it.

“At least an hour,” she confessed breathlessly, and Bellamy plunged two fingers into her, savoring the moan that fell out of her mouth.

“Well, let’s not keep you waiting,” he teased, pulling his fingers out of her so he could properly undo his pants. He could barely make Clarke out in the dark, but he could feel her eyes lingering on his cock as soon as it was freed from his briefs. Bellamy stepped toward Clarke again, palming her ass a bit before lifting her up.

“Bell, please,” she begged so beautifully. He slowly got her in position to sink down on his cock, with her back pressed against the wall. She let out a loud moan as soon as he plunged into her, and Bellamy immediately moved his hand over her mouth.

“Shh, someone might hear us,” he whispered, and he could feel Clarke smirk against his hand. He started thrusting in and out of her, feeling Clarke’s nails dig into his scalp. His lips were sucking just below her jawline, feeling her chest rise and fall rapidly as she moaned against his hand. “You look so beautiful like this, taking my cock so good,” he murmured against her skin, removing his hand so he could hear Clarke again.

“Fuck, Bell,” she whimpered quietly, as Bellamy pounded harder into her. This had to be quick, since he had to get back to the gallery opening so he didn’t miss anything big. But, fuck, he wished he could just keep doing this all night. His lips crashed into hers, as he let his hand find her clit. He pinched it slightly between his fingers, feeling Clarke jump in his arms.

“I got you, Clarke,” he whispered against her lips, before he started rubbing her clit. She moaned aggressively into his mouth, and he knew he had her. “You’re gonna come so beautifully for me, baby,” he moaned, feeling himself already start to lose control. She panted into his mouth as his fingers sped up in rhythm with his thrusts. He growled into her mouth, trying to stay focused on making Clarke finish before he came undone.

“I love you,” she said breathlessly, and Bellamy pressed his lips hard against hers, feeling a whimper escape her lips.

“I love you too,” he whispered quickly, feeling her legs start to shake around him. He pounded harder into her, watching her face closely as her eyes fluttered shut and her lips parted. And, fuck, she was beautiful when she came for him. She was doing her best to stay quiet, but Bellamy had to cover her mouth with his hand to muffle the moans that escaped her mouth. And as she clenched around him, Bellamy lost control, erupting into Clarke violently, as he buried his face in her shoulder to muffle the grunts coming out of his mouth.

After they got themselves properly dressed again, and less like they just fucked in a closet, they stumbled back into the gallery. Bellamy was met with a furious glare from Octavia, followed by Monty powerwalking across the room to meet him.

“Hey, Clarke, mind if I steal him for a moment?” Monty asked, forcing a smile at her. She nodded, stepping away to go find her mother or something, as Monty nearly dragged Bellamy into the hallway. “Why the fuck did you take your earpiece out?” he snapped quietly, and Bellamy blinked a few times, wondering what could have happened while he was gone.

“Clarke dragged me off and I thought you guys would appreciate not hearing us have sex,” Bellamy whispered, beyond mortified that he had to actually explain that.

“You were supposed to be keeping watch tonight. Someone stole information from my phone,” Monty growled, and Bellamy furrowed his brows.

“How the fuck did that happen?” Bellamy snapped, blinking a few times.

“Jasper just informed me about it. We have alerts set up so we know when these things happen,” Monty explained with a sigh. “It wasn’t Alie, because she wouldn’t bother with my phone. But, whoever it was would have had to get my IP address.”

“Speak English,” Bellamy groaned.

“I think someone in this building took my phone without me noticing and got it that way.”

“Okay, but we know most of these people. None of them are smart hackers,” Bellamy said, narrowing his eyes back at the gallery.

“And you were supposed to be cataloguing anyone who appeared suspicious. Whoever it was might have slipped in and out while you were off with Clarke,” Monty groaned, hitting Bellamy in the chest.

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he groaned, burying his face in his hands. “What did they get off your phone?”

“Just some documents about Hannah Green. Don’t worry. Your secrets are still safe, asshole,” Monty snapped, before storming back into the gallery. Bellamy put the earpiece back in his ear, hearing both Marcus and Octavia chewing him out for getting distracted.

“Stop it. I know I fucked up,” Bellamy whispered, resting his back against the wall, not wanting to go back in just yet.

“No, you fucked Clarke,” Octavia tried to joke, and Marcus let out an annoyed groan.

“It’s my job to keep her close. That’s all I was doing,” he snapped, earning a groan from all three of them at once.

 

Bellamy had no idea what Jaha had planned for Dante Wallace, but he knew it was going to be good. After all, they had convinced him and Abby that Wallace was going to expose them to the authorities with evidence from Mt. Weather. And, when Dax came back with the evidence that Wallace had been holding onto, his fate was sealed. It was only a matter of time before they destroyed him. His fate was suitable for his crimes.

Things were getting a little antsy in the Griffin-Jaha’s backyard, as everyone waited eagerly for Senator Wallace’s speech. Cage was off schmoozing with some reporter, while Clarke was running herself ragged trying to figure out what was taking so long. But, as soon as Bellamy saw Jaha pull Wallace into his study, Bellamy knew what was coming. When he saw Clarke’s face melt into a relieved facial expression, he heard Jaha and Wallace walk on out of the house, followed by the cheers of the large group gathered for this. The reporters’ cameras turned back on, and Bellamy could feel everyone get on the edge of their seat, waiting for Senator Wallace’s long-awaited speech about his intended policies for when he becomes president.

“Thank you all for that warm welcome,” Dante started with a forced smile. He paused, glancing over at where Jaha was standing. Bellamy noticed Jaha nod at Abby, and sat back in his seat, ready for the bloodbath. “Unfortunately,” Dante tried to say, but stopped himself. His facial expression was bleak, full of regret. “I have decided to withdraw my candidacy for president, and will not be seeking reelection for the Senate.” There were gasps throughout the crowd, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s jaw drop slightly as she tilted her head in confusion. Bellamy bit his lip, hoping to hide his smirk. “I’m not getting any younger, and I’ve decided to devote my time to my wonderful family. Thank you all,” he said quickly, before practically running off the stage. Cage chased after him, as the entire crowd erupted into chaos. He heard shouting and panicked noises, as several people chased after Wallace. Bellamy saw Jaha and Abby fast at work talking to the reporters that were there, and he knew this was going to be good.

 

In the days that followed, all the secrets came out. Over a dozen of his mistresses were named, along with various scandalous videos and photos being leaked. Three illegitimate children were discovered. There were accusations of election tampering from his first term as a senator. Then, they released all the things he covered up for Cage. Two DUI’s, a few incidents with cocaine, a hit and run from high school.

And once the fire was started, more and more people came forward to add to it. He had moved a lot of money around to avoid paying taxes. He bribed a few different judges. He embezzled campaign funds.

Bellamy almost admired how quickly Dante Wallace crashed and burned, realizing that Thelonious Jaha and Abby Griffin don’t just destroy those who betray them… but that they bury them.

The media was loving the scandal, with every news network picking up the footage of Dante Wallace in handcuffs. Everything had been taken away from him. He didn’t just lose his career. No, they had taken away his family and his future. Now, he might have a faint idea of what he helped do to Bellamy and Octavia.

“I’ve literally known him my whole life,” Clarke said over the phone, and Bellamy nodded.

“You think you know someone,” he mumbled, leaning back on his headboard.

“Well, to be honest, I’ve always known he was shady. Doesn’t mean I like to be proven right,” Clarke said with a huff. “Do you still want me to come over?”

“Of course. I haven’t seen you since the fundraiser. I miss you,” he said with a smile, and based on how Clarke sounded, he could tell she was smiling too.

“Okay, I’ll be right over,” she said giddily before hanging up. So, Bellamy started tidying up his room, getting ready for Clarke to come over.

But, she never showed up.

He called her over and over, wondering what was taking so long, but she never answered. He started to dial Monty.

“Whatever it is, no. Go back to bed,” Monty groaned.

“I need you to track Clarke’s phone. She said she would be right over and she’s not here,” Bellamy said, now pacing in front of his front door. Monty let out a loud groan, but Bellamy could hear him getting onto his laptop.

The moments that Bellamy stood and waited for Monty to find her phone were painful. Bellamy forced himself to take a few deep breaths, reminding himself that she was probably fine. That he was just being paranoid.

“It’s in her fucking house,” Monty groaned, and Bellamy immediately jogged over to his laptop, pulling up the feed to look for Clarke. But, he flipped through every camera they had, and there was no sign of her.

“She’s not there,” Bellamy snapped, and he could hear Monty suck in a breath.

“You’re right,” he said quietly, and Bellamy could feel his chest pounding. It’s not like Clarke to leave her phone behind. Bellamy kept flipping through the cameras, looking for any sign of Clarke. “Bellamy,” Monty said cautiously. “Look at the library feed.”

Bellamy held his breath as he moved to the library, seeing Thelonious Jaha sunk to the floor, sobbing hysterically, looking at his laptop. Abby Griffin ran in quickly, looking terrified as she took in Jaha’s state.

“Thelonious,” she said cautiously, slowly walking toward him. He looked up at her with a bleak look on his face, before passing her the laptop. Bellamy started hyperventilating as soon as he heard Abby’s blood curdling scream.

“Bellamy, everything is okay,” Monty reassured over the phone, even though his voice sounded frantic.

Bellamy’s eyes didn’t leave the screen, as he saw Jaha’s hands shakily dial on his phone. Abby was on the floor beside him, heaving onto his lap.

“Yes, we need you to come over immediately. It’s my daughter,” Jaha started, voice broken and distant. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes and shaking his head. Wells came rushing in, looking confused at what was going on. Jaha gave him an apologetic look, wiping a tear from his face. Then, Wells looked at the laptop screen, and his face told Bellamy everything he needed to know. “Clarke Griffin has been kidnapped.”

“Bellamy, take a deep breath,” he heard Monty say before dropping his phone to the ground, keeping his eyes on the screen as Abby wrapped Wells up in her arms.

Bellamy wasn’t sure how long he sat there, frozen, watching the three of them try to comfort each other. But, it was long enough for Monty to gather everyone and bring them to Bellamy’s house.

He could hear Octavia and Marcus try to talk to him, but Bellamy couldn’t really hear them. He saw Monty and Jasper drag in all sorts of equipment, probably trying to hack their way to answers. But, Bellamy kept his eyes on the feed, seeing police officers inside Clarke’s house, looking for evidence of her abduction.

Jasper informed Bellamy that there was nothing on the feeds to tell them how Clarke got kidnapped, or at least that’s what Bellamy thinks he said.

“We’re going to find Clarke,” Marcus reassured, rubbing Bellamy’s back.

“Bell, everything is going to be okay. We’re on this. Jaha will have the entire country looking for her. Clarke will be okay,” Octavia said, and Bellamy finally pulled his eyes off the screen to look at her.

“You don’t know that,” he said, voice cracking as he spoke. He felt Marcus grab his arm, trying to pull him up.

“We need to get you into bed,” Marcus said, and Bellamy turned to look at him, his eyes looking as red as Bellamy’s felt. Bellamy’s legs felt like they were going to give out as he stood, and he felt Octavia rushing to his side, helping Marcus hold him up.

“We can’t lose her,” Bellamy whispered, feeling like maybe if he uttered those words the universe would understand. That if the world knew that he needed her, maybe he could keep her.


	7. Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one is gonna be real angsty and dark, as you could have guess from last chapter's cliffhanger. But, I threw in about 2k of smut.
> 
> Also, I am LOVING all of your theories. And your feedback, of course. You guys are being so great. I always look forward to your comments after I upload a chapter.

Bellamy thought the hardest part would be the waiting. He was wrong. The hardest part was when they thought they found her body and Abby had to go down to the morgue to identify her. Bellamy could feel the entire house give up on Clarke while they waited to hear if it was actually her. Wells was sobbing hysterically into Roan’s chest, Jaha stormed outside and just started screaming and kicking things, and Clarke’s collection of friends started sharing their favorite Clarke stories while wiping away tears. Echo was the worst, almost like she was milking this. It felt like Clarke was dead.

When it wasn’t her, the energy shifted. Everyone got back to work trying to figure out who would take Clarke. Every time Jaha’s phone rang, everyone jumped. The kidnapper had not asked for a ransom, according to the officers that talked to Bellamy.

“Bellamy,” Abby Griffin said weakly, and Bellamy had never seen her look so frail. She gestured for him to follow her into the kitchen. When he looked around the kitchen, he saw Jaha pacing by the kitchen table, while a few officers talked amongst themselves.

“Are you Bellamy Blake?” one of them asked, and Bellamy nodded.

“Bellamy, sweetie,” Abby said, rubbing his back. “We’ve been pouring over the video the kidnapper sent us last night, looking for any clue as to where Clarke is or who took her,” she explained, and Bellamy’s chest started to tighten.

“You might notice something we missed,” Jaha finished her thought, pinching the bridge of his nose. Bellamy swallowed, seeing the laptop ready for him on the counter. There was no part of Bellamy that wanted to see this video. He knew that whatever was on it was going to be burned in his brain for the rest of his life.

He sat down on the stool, as one of the officers reached over him to hit play. Clarke was shaking slightly, her mouth covered so she couldn’t speak. There was a newspaper from yesterday in her lap, probably to let them know the video was current. Then, he saw a masked person make their way from behind the camera toward Clarke.

The way she looked at her kidnapper was familiar to Bellamy… he had seen that look in her eyes before. Bellamy tilted his head, still watching the video closely.

“Rewind,” Bellamy whispered, and the officer moved the video back a few seconds. Bellamy focused in on Clarke’s eyes as her kidnapper got closer to her, the familiar flinch when he put his hand on her shoulder.

Bellamy was good at reading people. It’s what he had been training for all these years. And, ever since Clarke became his mark, he had been studying her every movement, her every reaction. He could tell you what every face meant, provided he had seen it before. And, Bellamy Blake had seen this one before.

He turned around to look at Abby, who seemed desperate and broken as she searched Bellamy’s face for answers. “I’ve only seen Clarke react that way around one person,” Bellamy said, and Abby tilted her head in confusion. “I think Cage Wallace took her.”

Abby’s eyes widened in a way that told Bellamy she believed it. Her eyes flickered to Jaha, whose mouth was slightly opened.

“Miss Griffin may not even know who her abductor is,” one of the officers argued, but Jaha put his hand up to stop him.

“She’s not being allowed to talk for a reason. She knows something that the abductor doesn’t want us to know,” Jaha snapped, and the energy in the room shifted again. Officers were calling in orders to locate Cage Wallace, Jaha was pulling the one in charge toward his study to talk motive… and Abby Griffin threw her arms around Bellamy.

 

“Clarke Griffin is the daughter of Griffin Global founder, Jake Griffin, and its current CEO, Abby Griffin. After her father’s death, she became the step-daughter of business tycoon, Thelonious Jaha,” the announcer on the news said. It was getting late in the evening, and Bellamy had been in the Griffin-Jaha estate all day today and yesterday. Almost everyone else had left already, needing to get some rest. But, Bellamy couldn’t leave yet. He was sitting next to Wells, who had poured them both drinks.

“The investigation is being kept quiet, as the Arkadia Police Department gets closer to locating her kidnapper. What we know is that Miss Griffin was taken outside of her home late last night while she was on her way to her boyfriend’s house.”

“Oh, look, you got a shout out,” Wells groaned into his drink, and Bellamy glanced across the room to see Roan staring at Wells with a concerned look on his face.

“I think you’ve had enough to drink,” Roan snapped, walking over to grab the glass out of Wells’ hand.

“My sister has been kidnapped by Cage fucking Wallace,” Wells snapped, pushing Roan backwards. “I get to drink as much as I want.”

“We don’t even know for certain it was him,” Roan argued, now yanking the glass out of Wells’ hand. Wells stood up, wobbling a little bit as he did.

“You and I both know who was responsible for what happened to Senator Wallace,” Wells snapped, and Bellamy glanced up at him, with a wide-eyed expression. For some reason, Bellamy just assumed Wells was oblivious to what happened in this house. “This is their fault,” Wells yelled, and Roan put an arm around him, tugging him toward the stairs.

“Mrs. Griffin!” he heard someone yell as the door swung open. Abby ran back into the living room, followed by a few officers. Then, Dax walked in, grabbing some girl by the arm. “This girl here claims to have information about Clarke,” Dax said, giving a distasteful look toward the girl.

Bellamy blinked a few times, looking her up and down. She looked weirdly familiar, with her dark hair and intense look in her eyes.

“She could have called the tip line,” Abby said, narrowing her eyes as she looked the girl up and down.

“I did. They didn’t take me seriously,” the girl snapped, yanking herself free of Dax’s grasp. “I’m Raven Reyes. I’m friends with your daughter,” she introduced herself, but Abby still looked skeptical. That name sounded so familiar, but Bellamy couldn’t place her.

“She was very insistent that she come in,” Dax growled, but Abby put her hand up.

“I was looking through some of the photos that they were sharing on the news,” Raven started to explain, and Abby crossed her arms, tilting her head to the side. “And, in all the non-charity fundraiser shots, Clarke was wearing one of those fitness tracker bracelets.” Dax let out a groan, but Abby’s icy glare was enough to put him back in his place. “Those things emit an electronic signal,” Raven finished explaining, and Bellamy’s heart started pounding.

“If she’s wearing it, we can find her,” Abby said excitedly.

 

Bellamy had been sitting in the waiting room at the hospital for hours, waiting to see Clarke. No one had told him anything about what happened when they found her, except that an officer shot Cage Wallace dead and that Clarke was going to be okay.

Octavia sat with him for a while, trying to distract him with mindless chatter. He drifted off at some point, which he should have anticipated after not sleeping for almost 48 hours straight.

He only woke up when Wells stepped into the waiting room.

“How is she?” Bellamy asked, standing up quickly.

“She’ll be fine,” Wells said with a weak smile, before stepping closer to Bellamy and glancing around to see if anyone else was listening. “If she tells you anything out of the ordinary, please tell me what she says,” Wells said, narrowing his eyes at Bellamy.

“Wells, what is going on?” Bellamy asked.

“She was fine when I was in the room, but the second my dad and Abby stepped in, she started freaking out,” he whispered with a concerned look on his face.

“Can I see her?”

“Yeah, she’s been asking for you,” Wells said, patting Bellamy on the shoulder before leading him toward Clarke.

Abby and Jaha were standing outside her room, talking with a doctor, concern all over their faces. Bellamy took a deep breath before walking into Clarke’s room.

“Clarke,” he whispered as he slowly stepped towards her. Her eyes fluttered open, and Bellamy was overwhelmed by just how small Clarke seemed. He knew she had some kind of head injury, but he wasn’t prepared for the scrapes and bruises that covered her arms and face. She smiled weakly at him, and Bellamy swears his heart stopped at that moment.

“Hey,” she whispered, as Bellamy pulled up a chair right by her bed. He sat down, running his fingers through her hair. “You look like shit,” she said with a small smirk, as she grabbed Bellamy’s hand.

Bellamy let out a chuckle, running his thumb across the back of her hand. “You’re one to talk,” he quipped, and Clarke snorted. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, careful to not hurt her. And, as she smiled back at him, Bellamy realized that he had never been so relieved in his life.

“Sorry I scared you,” Clarke mumbled, closing her eyes. Bellamy tried not to let his mind wander, to think about how she got all these bruises. Since he wasn’t family, no one was giving him details about what exactly happened with Cage Wallace.

“Just please don’t disappear again,” he pleaded, brushing her hair out of her face carefully. He was almost scared to touch her, seeing her so fragile.

“But, I was planning on getting kidnapped again next week,” she murmured with a small smirk, and Bellamy let out a sigh.

“Too soon, Clarke,” he whispered, and Clarke patted his hand reassuringly.

“Fine, I won’t get kidnapped again. But, only because I love you,” she said, eyes closed with a soft smile on her lips. Bellamy got up to press another kiss to her forehead, seeing her smile grow as she did. His heart was pounding, overwhelmed by the words that escaped Clarke’s sleepy lips.

“I love you so much, Clarke,” Bellamy said, cupping her face as he looked down at her.

“I know,” she mumbled, eyes still closed.

“No, you don’t know,” he snapped, and Clarke’s eyes fluttered open, looking confused. But, there was no way Bellamy could explain what he meant. He couldn’t tell Clarke what it meant for him to say that he loved her just now. Because, to Clarke, it was something he had been saying for weeks. Just a reminder that he cared about her.

But, for Bellamy, it was a heart shattering confession. Because up until today, when he uttered those words, they were a lie. And now, they slipped off his lips with nothing but the earnest hope that Clarke understood how desperately he needed her. His confused thoughts and feelings were clear as day now, as he saw Clarke again. He was horrified that he almost lost her without ever getting to honestly say those words to her. And, here she was, small and slightly broken, but still as beautiful as ever as she tried to make sense of Bellamy’s confusing words.

For a moment, she looked like she understood all the complicated thoughts in Bellamy’s head, and he wiped a few tears from his cheeks. But, as she drifted off to sleep, Bellamy knew there was no way Clarke could understand what losing her did to him.

His heart was breaking, because Clarke couldn’t tell the difference. He meant the words now, which changed everything for him. But, Clarke couldn’t notice that everything was different now.

“Bellamy,” he heard Abby say behind him, before he turned around to look at her.

“Yes, Mrs. Griffin?” he asked, shaking his head slightly to get his thoughts back in order.

“We’re taking Clarke home tomorrow. I was wondering if you wanted to come stay with us for a while,” she said, with a strange expression on her face. Bellamy tilted his head slightly in confusion, thinking these people would want to keep Clarke isolated for a while. “Earlier, she was freaking out and even Wells couldn’t calm her down. But, she seems to feel safe around you,” she explained, looking over at Clarke who was fast asleep.

“I would love to,” he said, now looking at Clarke. He wasn’t keen on the idea of being away from her too much anyways. At least this way he could stay close by, even if it meant living under the same roof as Jaha and Abby for the time being.

 

“You need to be careful,” Jasper warned as Bellamy packed his suitcase.

“I know,” Bellamy muttered. Monty and Jasper were paranoid because the police department was missing a lot of information they should have had on Clarke’s kidnapping. Marcus had been reaching out to his contacts, trying to see what he could learn. But, there was nothing. Hardly any photos of where Cage had been holding Clarke. No records of his interactions with Jaha. Nothing. And, Cage wasn’t exactly a brilliant kidnapper. There should have been more evidence that the department accumulated… which meant they were hiding something.

“Stay off the feeds while in that house,” Jasper continued, and Bellamy started groaning.

“I’m not staying there to get information. I’m only doing this for Clarke,” Bellamy snapped.

“Guys!” Monty shouted from the living room, and Bellamy let out a groan, before powerwalking over to him. Monty was on his laptop between Marcus and Octavia. “They brought Clarke home earlier than when Abby said they would,” he explained, and Bellamy leaned over the couch, trying to get a better view as Monty cranked up the volume.

Jaha was pacing in the living room, looking nervous. Wells was right by Clarke’s side, walking her into the living room. She looked a little better than when Bellamy got to see her at the hospital, but still pretty banged up. But, Bellamy did not like how Clarke was looking at Jaha.

“We are just so happy to have you home,” Jaha said as he practically ran across the room and enveloped Clarke in a tight hug. Bellamy could barely make out her face from the angle, but she looked almost alarmed by the contact.

“Where is everyone?” Clarke asked quietly, pushing away and scanning the room.

“Sweetie, we dismissed the staff for the week so you could have some privacy,” Abby said, and Clarke actually flinched when she tried to rub Clarke’s shoulder.

“Something is very wrong with Clarke,” Marcus observed, glancing up at Bellamy.

“I mean, she went through a lot of trauma. And sustained a pretty nasty head injury. I’m not sure there’s a normal way for her to be acting,” Monty snapped, and Bellamy let out a breath.

He watched Clarke as she started to walk toward Jaha, who had stepped closer to his study. “What did you say to Cage when he called you to negotiate the ransom?” Clarke asked, head cocked slightly.

“I thought he didn’t ask for a ransom,” Octavia said, blinking a few times.

“No, that’s just what Jaha told everyone,” Jasper said, connecting the dots.

“Clarke, you must have hit your head too hard. He never wanted to negotiate a ransom. He kidnapped you because he was convinced that we were behind what happened to his father and wanted revenge,” Jaha said, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s entire body stiffen. She started to turn and walk back to Wells. “We’ll get you a new therapist so you can stop being confused about what happened,” Jaha continued, and Bellamy saw Clarke flip some kind of switch, as her face turned ice cold. She turned around, her arm whipping around quickly before she punched Jaha right in the face.

Wells quickly ran up to her, pulling her away from Jaha so she couldn’t hit him again. Abby ran to Jaha’s side, as he gripped his face in pain.

“You were on speakerphone when he called you! I heard you!” Clarke shouted, trying to get out of Wells’ grasp. “You refused to pay the ransom!” That’s when Wells let go of her, his face flashing in horror. Abby stepped away from Jaha, looking just as shocked as Wells did.

“Is this true?” Abby snapped, and Jaha shook his head slightly, trying to get his thoughts in order. “We could have afforded whatever his price was!” she yelled, as Jaha backed away from her.

“Clarke could have died!” Wells yelled, now storming after Jaha. Bellamy didn’t realize how tightly he had been gripping the couch, until Octavia put her hand over his. He forced himself to take a deep breath, to stay calm.

“It wasn’t money!” Jaha yelled, and suddenly Abby stiffened up. Wells still looked confused, and Clarke looked murderous.

“He wanted the evidence you guys stole from Dante Wallace’s house,” Clarke snapped, and horror flashed across Abby and Jaha’s face.

“Clarke, you don’t know—” Abby started to say, and Bellamy felt like he was going to throw up.

“That your husband was willing to let me die instead of handing over evidence that would implicate him in the Mt. Weather explosion?” Clarke snapped, and Bellamy gripped tightly on Marcus’ shoulder.

“Dad,” Wells said, looking furious as he moved closer to Jaha.

“I’m coming with you when you go over there,” Marcus said nervously, glancing up at Bellamy. He nodded in response, keeping his eyes on the screen as Abby followed after Clarke who was bolting up the stairs. Jaha dragged Wells into the backyard, and Monty flipped through the feed to see Clarke ignoring Abby as she stormed toward her room.

 

“This is why Monty can’t find anything substantial on the police department’s server,” Bellamy mumbled, shaking his head as Marcus drove him to Clarke.

“Jaha has them in his pocket. If there was anything where Cage was holding her, they got rid of the evidence already. And, there’s no telling what all Cage told Clarke in the two days she was in his possession,” Marcus growled, angrily gripping the steering wheel.

“Jaha’s a monster,” was all Bellamy could say, not entirely sure he could keep his rage under control once he got to his house.

“You already knew this,” Marcus pointed out. But, there was something very next-level about a man who would leave a family member to be murdered just to protect himself. Bellamy could see that Jaha loved Clarke, despite everything. The panic and anger when she was taken was too real for him not to. So, even though he loved her, he left her to die. “Look, I need to clarify something about Clarke’s past for you.”

Bellamy’s eyes flicked up to look at Marcus who still looked tense.

“Back in 2006, I tried to tell her everything. I knew her parents sent her off to boarding school because she knew something, and I was desperate to find more pieces to the Mt. Weather puzzle,” he explained, and Bellamy tensed up. “Now, everything I thought I knew then is not what all I know now, but still.”

“Let me guess, she didn’t believe you.”

“I didn’t know how intensive her therapy was. They basically brainwashed her,” Marcus said, worrying his lip as he spoke. “So, she didn’t take it well when I tried to bring back all those memories that her brain was actively fighting against. She had a nervous breakdown.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Bellamy asked.

“Bellamy, I have no idea how much she knows. It sounds like she knows a lot, but they really did a number on her. The last time I saw her was right after she turned eighteen, and she was a mess. Couldn’t tell what was real and what was what those two convinced her was real. And, especially with her head injury right now, you need to be prepared for Clarke to be like that again.”

Marcus pulled into their drive way, and Bellamy forced himself to take a deep breath. But, Marcus didn’t get out of the car. He just sat there for a moment, looking at Bellamy.

“I know you love Clarke,” Marcus said, matter of fact. “And, I know you, Bellamy. There’s a part of you that’s hoping Clarke will suddenly remember everything. And that maybe you could tell her the truth about what we’re doing.”

“I would never do that,” Bellamy said, even though there was truth to what Marcus said. There was a part of him that secretly longed to tell Clarke the truth, so he could stop lying to her. It was killing him.

“You can’t, ever. Not while Abby and Jaha are still around to manipulate her head.”

“I mean, they can’t manipulate her anymore. She’s not a child,” Bellamy argued, but Marcus put his hand up.

“She loves them, no matter how horrible they are. That gives them power over her. So, you can never tell her why you’re here.”

 

The atmosphere in the house was cold. From what Bellamy could gather, Wells had stormed out while they drove over. Jaha was in his study. Leaving only Abby to greet them at the door. She pulled Marcus into the kitchen to have a talk, while directing Bellamy upstairs to Clarke.

When he walked into her room, she was flipping through some papers, looking confused.

“Hey, princess,” he said, which startled her.

“I don’t know why you call me that,” she snapped, before shoving those papers into the drawer of her bedside table.

“Oh, when I first came to Arkadia, Roan jokingly referred to your parents as the king and queen,” he explained, setting his bag down on the ground, before sitting down on Clarke’s bed.

“Which makes me the princess?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It suits you,” he teased, and Clarke threw her pillow at him. “I see you’re feeling better,” he observed, as he kicked off his shoes.

“Much,” she mumbled, moving onto her back. Bellamy lied down beside her, gesturing for her to get closer. Clarke tucked herself against his side, and Bellamy placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, not wanting to pry into the outburst that he had seen over the feeds, but she seemed radically different than she did just an hour ago.

“As okay as they can be,” she mumbled, and Bellamy glanced down at her, seeing her eyes flutter shut. He ran his fingers through her hair, trying to reassure her.

“I love you,” he whispered, pressing another kiss to the top of her head.

“Love you too,” she murmured, as Bellamy cherished how warm she felt pressed against him like this. It was a nice reminder that she was okay, that she was safe.

 

Bellamy stayed glued to Clarke’s side over the next few days, studying her closely for any sign of pain. Her head was slowly getting better, and she was started to look like the normal Clarke again. She was just much quieter than she normally was, which Bellamy attributed to how hard her brain must be working.

He had been off the feeds, just like Jasper told him to. He wasn’t sure about what had happened throughout the rest of the house, but from what he could guess, Wells had moved out and Roan had quit his job. Abby constantly checked up on Clarke, and Clarke was becoming more and more hostile toward Abby with each interaction. Jaha steered clear of Clarke, but Bellamy wasn’t too worried about him at the moment. He knew that Marcus was tracking him closely.

Bellamy’s only focus was on Clarke. The days were fine. She kept herself preoccupied with sketching, letting Bellamy work from home.

But, the nights were a different story. Bellamy hardly slept, and when he did, he would wake up to Clarke sobbing or hyperventilating. He would spend hours rocking her in his arms, talking nonsense to her to distract her from whatever it was that was haunting her. He told her stories, like the ones he used to tell Octavia. He had no idea if she was actually listening, but maybe his voice was enough to comfort her, because, ultimately, she would settle down.

“Bellamy,” he heard her whisper, and his eyes fluttered open. He didn’t even know he had fallen asleep. He was on his side, pressed to Clarke’s back with his arm draped across her stomach.

“Yeah, Clarke?” he whispered back, hearing the grogginess in his own voice. He buried his face into her neck, feeling her hair tickle his face.

“Oh, sorry, go back to sleep,” she mumbled, as Bellamy pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“No, I’m awake,” he reassured, tracing her hip with his thumb, closing his eyes again.

“Well, yeah. I can feel that much,” Clarke said in a teasing voice, as Bellamy furrowed his brows in confusion. Then, what she was saying clicked. _Oh._

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” he tried to pull away, since Clarke probably didn’t want to feel his erection pressed up against her ass while she was trying to sleep. But, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back toward her.

“No, stay,” she whispered, looking back at Bellamy with a pleading look in her eyes. “It feels nice.” Bellamy let out a breath, now pulling close to her again. Clarke relaxed back into him, and he found himself overwhelmed by how nice and warm she was, tucked against him.

She tilts her hips back toward him slightly, pressing her ass against his erection. “Clarke,” he moaned quietly, trying to fight the desire he had to push back into her. She was so tempting like this, so soft and warm, eager for him to be close.

“Please,” she pleaded, as Bellamy pressed another kiss to her cheek. He pushed his hips forward to meet her, holding her hip firmly with his hand. A pleased sigh escaped her lips, such a beautiful little sound that it caught Bellamy off guard. He keeps rocking his hips slowly against her, savoring the soft humming coming out of Clarke’s mouth. He pressed a few kisses down her neck, nudging her hair out of the way with his nose.

It had been a while since he and Clarke last had sex. He had been quite careful not to bother her while she was recovering from her kidnapping, recognizing that Clarke felt more comfortable when she initiated physical contact. And, he really didn’t care about them having sex. He was just grateful that Clarke let him hold her and that she felt safe with him.

But, because so much had happened since they had been together, he forgot just what a powerful effect she had on him. Bellamy could feel her entire body pressed tightly against his, as he let his thumb stroke her stomach. Her breathing quickened as Bellamy traced over her throat with his soft, tender kisses. Every time Clarke pushed her ass against him, he could feel his cock twitch.

“I love you so much, Clarke,” he whispered against her skin, as he kissed his way up to her jawline. Clarke tilted her head backwards, looking up at him with such a tender look on her face. Bellamy was so relieved to see her so soft and happy again, especially with everything she’s been through and how it’s been haunting her.

She broke away from him for a second, before turning around to face him. “I love you too, Bell,” she whispered, her lips now inches away from his. He slowly pressed his lips into hers, savoring the hum in her voice as he did. Her hand was cupping his face, as he pulled her flush against him. His tongue plunged into her mouth, finding hers immediately, almost shuddering at the sensation. God, he missed feeling Clarke like this.

He found himself lost in her lips, savoring the taste of her and how she would whimper into his mouth when he rocked his hips against her.

“Bellamy,” she whispered breathlessly against his lips, and he was so in love with how his name sounded when she said it like that. “I need more,” she pleaded, giving him wide, almost innocent eyes.

“I’m gonna take care of you, okay?” he asked, tentatively moving his hand down her body. She nodded, eyes still wide as his fingers ghosted her panties. He gently moved her onto her back, listening closely to how her breath would catch as he touched her. Her eyes were watching him closely, as his hand slipped into her panties, gently cupping her warm mound his hand. He could feel her arousal already start to gather, as he gently pressed a finger into her. He could feel her pussy clenching around his fingers once he plunged another one in, and a moan escaped his lips, imagining his cock inside her.

He sat up slightly, pulling his hand out of her panties so he could push the blanket off Clarke. He started tugging at her panties, as Clarke lifted her hips, letting Bellamy pull them off all the way. She spread her legs for him, her eyes raking him up and down as he settled down between her legs. He waited for her to object, as he looked at her. She was so beautiful like this, sleepy but wanting, eager for him to make her feel good.

He leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her folds. He could smell her arousal, as he pressed more gentle kisses around her pussy. Hearing an encouraging hum from Clarke, Bellamy let his tongue lick up her slit. His fingers spread her out for him, as his mouth latched onto her clit. He felt her fingers grab onto his hair, not as aggressive as she normally did, but more tender… like she just wanted to hold onto him. He started sucking on her clit, closing his eyes as he listened closely to Clarke’s beautiful breathing.

She was doing her best to be quiet. After all, they were in a house with at least two other people in it. But, there was something so soft about her quieter moans, more intimate. It was making it harder for Bellamy to ignore his erection, as he grinded himself against the mattress.

His fingers started rubbing her clit, as she grinded her hips into his face. He let his tongue start pressing in and out of her, lapping up the arousal that was slipping out of her cunt. He loved how she whimpered his name during his long licks, swearing he could listen to that noise for the rest of his life.

He could feel her shuddering, almost there. He started rubbing faster, feeling Clarke grip onto his hair even harder. His tongue fucked into her harder, as she grinded herself back into him. He could feel her body start to shudder, as she came hard into his mouth, flooding against him as she moaned his name over and over again.

He kept pressing slow kisses to her clit as her breathing evened out, letting his hands trail up and down her thighs in a slow caress.

“I missed you so much,” he whispered, now leaning up to look at her. Her eyes were beaming at him, as if he was the most important thing in the world. Bellamy wasn’t used to being looked at like this. Since he chose the path of revenge, he steered clear of romantic relationships. And, sure, he had been loved deeply by his mother and sister, and eventually, by Marcus. But, no one had ever looked at Bellamy like Clarke was right now.

“Come here,” she whispered with a small smile, and Bellamy didn’t hesitate to climb up her body, kissing her like he was drowning in her. “Bell,” she interrupted him, her fingers intertwined in his hair as she beamed up at him. “I want to feel you inside me,” she whispered against his lips, her eyes boring into his.

Bellamy made quick work of pulling off his boxers, keeping his eyes on Clarke’s. Once they were off, Clarke pushed him to sit next to her, before climbing on top of him, straddling his lap. She slowly sunk down onto him, her arms tightly around his neck.

She was still so tight around him, but so warm. His eyes fluttered shut at the sensation, as he absently rubbed her lower back. She bobbed herself up and down him slowly, keeping her forehead pressed against his. He was clutching her tightly, trying to keep her as close as possible.

He tilted his hips upwards to meet hers, earning a loud moan from Clarke. Her hands were tenderly caressing his face, stroking his jawline in a calming, comforting manner. He started peppering kisses all over her face, trying to keep himself busy so he didn’t come undone too quickly.

As Clarke’s lips started to utter sweet little encouragements, Bellamy felt warm all over. He closed his eyes again, focused on the feeling of his cock plunging inside of her, while her hands gently stroked his cheek. When he opened his eyes, Clarke was giving him that tender look again.

It was at moments like these where Bellamy wondered if Clarke could see right through him. If, without him ever telling her, she figured out that there were days where he was still that broken ten-year-old boy who found his mother’s body. That he needed something to hold onto if he was going to keep his own demons at bay. Because, the way Clarke looked at him was so overwhelmingly loving. She touched him with such tender care… so tender that even as Bellamy tried to comfort her, she found a way to be comforting him.

He tilted his head up to press a searing kiss to her gorgeous lips, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist to pull her closer. He helped her ride him faster, encouraging her with his own moans. She pressed her forehead back into his as she came, her fingers tugging on his curls to keep herself grounded. He followed quickly after, lost in how beautiful Clarke was when she came undone around him.

“I love you so much,” he panted against her neck, holding her as tightly as he could. It almost came off as begging, like he was still pleading with Clarke to understand just what it means for Bellamy to say those words to her. After all, for eighteen long, miserable years, Bellamy convinced himself that he couldn’t love anyone. Not like this.

 

“What did you find?” Bellamy said over the phone, feeling relieved that Wells had taken Clarke out for a little bit, and Jaha and Abby were both at work.

“I knew we recognized her from somewhere. Raven Reyes is the girl Finn Collins was cheating on Clarke with,” Monty announced, and it all clicked for Bellamy. Ever since she showed up that night Clarke was found, it had been eating away at him that he couldn’t figure out where he knew her from.

“But, she claimed to be Clarke’s friend. There’s no way they could be friends after that,” he argued, plopping himself down on Clarke’s bed.

“Well, I think they must have made contact after that. I could see Clarke being the kind of girl to do that kind of thing. But, it gets weirder,” Monty said with a sigh, and Bellamy started looking around for a charger, since his phone was on low battery.

“Define weirder,” Bellamy replied with a smirk, thinking that at this point nothing will catch him off guard.

“You know that week Clarke was missing? And how we’re pretty sure she went to Europe?” Bellamy let out a grunt of acknowledgement as he stood up, looking for where Clarke left her charger. “Raven flew to France that same week, and was gone on the exact same days.”

“What?” Bellamy yelled, now pinching the bridge of his nose. He still knew next to nothing about what Clarke was up to that week, which had still been weighing on his mind. But, now… she went off with some girl she hardly knew.

“So, Raven is good with computers. Like, me and Jasper good. She’s not as guarded when it comes into hacking into her stuff, probably because she doesn’t think anyone is looking for her,” Monty continued.

“What can you tell me about that week?” Bellamy snapped, and Monty let out a groan.

“They were both in France at the same time. That’s it.”

“Keep digging. I’ve got to go. My phone is about to die,” he mumbled before hanging up. Clarke’s charger wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so he opened the drawer of her bedside dresser to look. Then, he saw a handful of papers that looked eerily familiar. He picked them up, recognizing the handwriting on them. But, it wasn’t Clarke’s handwriting.

No, it was Dr. Lorelei Tsing’s. Bellamy’s heart started pounding as he flipped through, realizing that these were the missing pages from Clarke’s file. He snapped a few pictures quickly before his phone died, just in case Clarke got back and he had to tuck them away.

Then, he hunkered down and started reading the first of the pages.

_“It has been two years since her father died, but she still won’t stop bringing up this ‘Aurora’ woman. She tells me that her father was talking to her over the speakerphone and Clarke heard every word of their conversation. Yet, when I ask her about what they talked about, she says she can’t trust me with that secret. More likely, she’s making this all up.”_

He sucked in a breath, feeling his entire body tense up. He had a horrible feeling that this was the conversation that got his mother killed. And, for all these years, Bellamy thought that whatever secret Aurora had about Mt. Weather died with her and the man she called that horrible morning. But, he was wrong. There was a witness. A scared, innocent, six-year-old witness.


	8. Memorial

Usually, Octavia and Bellamy had their own way of memorializing their mother each year. They both kept to themselves, going through what few pieces of Aurora Blake they still had.

This year, however, he honored her memory by planning.

“Clarke was fixated on her mother’s affair in 2003,” Bellamy read from Tsing’s notes. They were busy putting together Clarke’s timeline, to get more answers.

“Still don’t know who that was?” Jasper asked, typing this up.

“Clarke refused to tell Tsing. But, we can look into who Abby Griffin was close to during that time and figure it out later,” Bellamy explained with a sigh, flipping to the next page. Then, Marcus walked in and closed the door behind him.

“How is the timeline going?” he asked, looking tense as he walked in. Bellamy gave him a once over, wondering if he somehow hurt himself, but decided not to pry.

“Alright, so in what we think is the order, here is what Clarke knows. In the days leading up to Mt. Weather, Abby was out of town on business. Clarke said she thinks her mother was lying about where she was…” Jasper started to list.

“How would Clarke know her mother was lying?” Marcus asked, narrowing his eyes at Jasper. Bellamy flipped back to the second page.

“Normally, Abby would go off to Europe for business trips. But, this was summertime and Clarke said she saw her mother pack two coats in her suitcase,” Bellamy said, confirming that with Tsing’s notes.

“That would mean she could have gone somewhere in the southern hemisphere,” Marcus connected the dots, now leaning against the table.

“Even at six, Clarke was apparently hella smart,” Jasper replied, narrowing his eyes at the screen.

“You have no idea. Nothing gets past her,” Marcus groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“So, after that, Clarke noticed her dad getting really stressed out. She apparently eavesdropped on a lot of conversations, and she heard him say he was looking for money, but didn’t understand what that meant,” Jasper continued, as Marcus glanced over at Bellamy.

“She has to be talking about when Abby moved all that money from Griffin Global,” Marcus said, crossing his arms, and Bellamy nodded, having already made that connection.

“Then, there’s the Aurora phone call that morning,” Jasper said hesitantly, glancing over at Bellamy.

Bellamy swallowed, now looking at the ground. He knew Jasper was just trying to be sensitive, especially given what day it was. But, they needed to talk about it, regardless of how comfortable Bellamy was with it.

“Clarke overheard an entire conversation Jake had with her, which means she likely heard whatever secret it was that got them both killed,” Bellamy recounted, as Marcus nodded along. “After Jake left, Clarke claims some man in a police uniform showed up to the house and had a private conversation with Abby.”

Marcus sat down slowly, slightly wincing as he did. Bellamy raised an eyebrow at him, but he just shook his head, as if to tell him not to worry about it.

“After Jake died, Clarke was forced to spend a lot of time with Wells Jaha because Thelonious Jaha was always over at her house. She distinctly remembers seeing Jaha handing an envelope to the same police officer that she saw the day Jake died,” Jasper continued to read, and Marcus’ brow furrowed, this being a part of the story he wasn’t familiar with.

“For the most part, there isn’t a lot of information about what happens after that. I think Clarke was too scared to share anymore information with Tsing because every time she did, Tsing tried to convince her she was making it up,” Bellamy explained, even though there were still several interesting pieces of information that could help them scheme against Abby and Jaha. Like the fact that Abby Griffin had been having an affair.

“Which means the only person who can fill in all these blank holes is Clarke, who is not exactly in a sharing mood,” Marcus huffed, and Bellamy tilted his head in confusion.

“What happened when you went over there?” Bellamy asked, narrowing his eyes at Marcus. Bellamy had been worried about Clarke today, especially since she was in a weird headspace that morning. He knew this was likely because of what today was for her, but he didn’t want to push her. Marcus offered to go over and check up on Clarke, hoping she would confide in him since he was so close with Jake.

“Pull up the video from Jaha’s gym,” Marcus said, looking over at Jasper. As Marcus stood up, Bellamy saw him wince again. “I offered to give Clarke some self-defense training, you know, to make her feel safer after being kidnapped,” he explained, as Bellamy looked at him with concern. Then, Jasper started chuckling as he looked at the screen. Bellamy walked around the table to get a glimpse of the screen.

It was from a few hours ago, and Marcus had taken off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, giving Clarke instructions about stance. Clarke looked almost bored, with her hair pulled up tight out of her face and no makeup on.

“This is really not necessary,” Clarke groaned in a voice Bellamy recognized. She was pissed off about something.

“Clarke, move your back leg back more like I just showed you,” Marcus said in a tone that could only be described as patronizing. Clarke tilted her head slightly, not budging. “Okay, Clarke, if you stay like that, you won’t be able to stop someone if they come at you like this,” Marcus said, starting to move toward her. But, Clarke quickly grabbed his arm and twisted it, immediately taking control of the situation, before shoving Marcus to the ground.

“Looks like she didn’t need self-defense training,” Jasper teased, nudging Marcus in the side, who immediately flinched in pain. Marcus groaned, pushing Jasper to the side as he hit fast forward on the video. Bellamy watched with amusement as Clarke knocked Marcus to the ground three more times, each time looking more smug as she did.

“Last time I underestimate Clarke, I assure you,” Marcus muttered, before pressing play.

“I also came over to make sure you were doing okay. I know today must be hard for you,” Marcus said in the video, and Clarke narrowed her eyes at him, sitting down on a bench, her elbows on her knees.

“Today is hard for a lot of people, Marcus. I’m not special,” Clarke snapped, and Bellamy exchanged a look with Jasper.

“Yes, a lot of people are mourning loved ones today, but you lost your dad, and you get to be upset about that,” Marcus said, crouching down in front of Clarke, whose face was cold as stone. “Your father was my best friend. And, I think he’d be proud of what you’ve become.”

“You really think so?” Clarke asked with a smile that concerned Bellamy… it was slightly forced, and he wanted to cringe because he could tell that Marcus on the video didn’t notice that.

“Of course. If he were here today, he would love what a strong person you’ve become,” Marcus reassured, grabbing Clarke’s hand. Then, Bellamy saw Clarke’s face flip, and he sucked in a breath.

“I think, if he were here today, he would be pissed,” she said with a glare, and Marcus moved back slightly, tilting his head in confusion. “I think he would look at how much Thelonious and my mother fucked me up, and wonder why no one stepped in to save me from them.” Bellamy glanced over at Marcus who had a bleak expression on his face, as he pressed his lips together.

“Clarke, please,” Marcus on the screen tried to say, but Clarke stood up and moved away from him.

“You left!” she yelled, and Bellamy hadn’t seen anger like that on Clarke’s face since the night she tried to attack Jaha.

“Clarke, I’m sorry. I didn’t have a choice,” Marcus explained, following Clarke as she stormed out of the room. Jasper flipped the feeds, finding them in the hallway. “Clarke!” Marcus yelled, limping as he jogged to catch up to her. She whipped around quickly, with a furious expression on her face.

“When I turned eighteen, I got my dad’s lock box that had a journal he left for me. He said that if anything ever happened to him, that you would protect me,” Clarke yelled, stepping toward Marcus as she shoved him the chest. “But, you left me alone with her. Let her convince me I was crazy, when you knew I was telling the truth.”

“They kicked me out of town. I had to leave. But, I never wanted to leave you,” Marcus pleaded on screen, and Bellamy reached over to put his hand reassuringly on Marcus’ shoulder. “And, I came back for you.”

“Why did you really come back here?” Clarke snapped. Marcus opened his mouth slightly, clearly contemplating how to answer that question.

“I could ask you the same thing, Clarke,” Marcus replied. She swallowed, looking him up and down. Then, she turned around and stormed down the hallway.

Jasper slowly closed his laptop, raising an eyebrow at Marcus. “So, she kind of hates you, huh?” Jasper asked, as Marcus pressed his lips together. Most of the conversation between him and Clarke didn’t bother Bellamy much, since he could tell there was already some tension there. Clarke constantly acted weird around Marcus, and Bellamy knew that Marcus hadn’t seen Clarke in a long time.

“The more worrisome thing is that she’s suspicious of you,” Bellamy observed, studying Marcus’ face closely.

“Well, I’m also suspicious of her. When Jaha got home, I saw her walk into his study as I was leaving. I kind of want to see what they had to talk about,” Marcus said, and Bellamy and Jasper shared a concerned look.

“We can’t look at that feed right now,” Jasper explained with an apologetic expression on his face.

“What?” Marcus yelled, and Bellamy rolled his eyes.

“There was some sort of malfunction. We’re going to fix it the first chance we get, but we can’t pick up a signal for that room.”

“And only that room,” Bellamy added in, and Marcus let out a loud huff.

“Well, today is not a good day to not know what those two are up to,” Marcus snapped, before moving toward the couch.

“Bellamy!” Octavia yelled as she ran into the house, slamming the door behind her. Bellamy’s eyes widened, not expecting Octavia to get out of bed today. “Emerson has been found.”

“I’ll call my contacts right now to see if he confessed who hired him to murder Tsing,” Marcus said, pulling out his phone.

“No, he was found dead,” Octavia said with a terrified look on her face. Bellamy exchanged a look with Marcus, whose eyes were widened. They knew exactly what this meant.

 

One thing Bellamy Blake never thought he would do was attend a fundraiser for The City of Light. But, he was the boyfriend of Clarke Griffin, leaving him very little choice.

Luckily, Marcus was also here, which gave him some comfort. But, the rest of his friends declined their invitations, for obvious reasons. Still, Bellamy felt their absence.

Clarke looked beautiful as always, donning a black full-length gown, with her golden curls pulled slightly out of her face. And, to someone who didn’t know better, she looked happy.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” Bellamy whispered into Clarke’s ear. She raised an eyebrow at him, as if he was ridiculous for assuming she might be upset today.

“Of course,” she said coolly, narrowing her eyes at him. Bellamy opened his mouth to speak, but no words could come out. So, he snapped it shut. “What did Marcus tell you?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Not much,” he lied. “But, I know what today is for you. You know you can talk to me about this stuff, right?” he asked, feeling a little hurt that Clarke hadn’t talked to him about what was bothering her at all today. Her eyes narrowed again, as she studied his face.

“It was eighteen years ago. I’m fine,” she said confidently, and Bellamy knew she was lying. Clarke Griffin, more often than not, was a ticking time bomb. Before Bellamy could say anything else, applause broke out across the room as Thelonious Jaha took the stage.

“Thank you all for being here tonight,” he announced into the microphone. “Normally, my wife would be here to speak to you all, but she hasn’t been feeling well lately.” Bellamy noticed Clarke’s jaw twitch at those words. Jaha was lying of course. Physically, Abby Griffin was fine. Emotionally, not so much, as she had been locked up in her room since she returned home from work. It had surprised Bellamy to see Abby so affected by the anniversary of her husband’s death, especially considering her involvement in it. But, Bellamy should have known better to underestimate the power of guilt.

“Of course, I am more than happy to step in. The Ark has been just as much of a supporter of The City of Light as Griffin Global has. And going forward, both companies pledge their full support to continue to fight for the families of those lost at Mt. Weather, eighteen years ago,” Jaha continued, and Bellamy was almost drawn in by how persuasive his voice sounded. “It is in this spirit of the future that I introduce your host for this evening. She is easily the strongest person I’ve ever known. Her reputation regarding her charity work needs no introduction. She represents the future of Griffin Global, of The City of Light,” he said before pausing, swallowing slightly as he looked right at Clarke. “And of The Ark.” Bellamy’s eyes widened, glancing over at Clarke who had a smug look on her face. “Please, give a warm welcome to my daughter, Clarke Griffin.”

As the room erupted into applause and Clarke moved toward the stage, Bellamy glanced back to find Marcus at one of the tables in the back. He looked just as confused as Bellamy felt.

Bellamy turned back around, watching Clarke hug Jaha. She whispered something to him, and for half a second, he saw the panicked look on Jaha’s face. But, Clarke remained just as stoic as she had been all day, smiling sweetly as she reached the podium.

“Thank you all,” Clarke spoke, with a soft smile that alarmed Bellamy. She was certainly up to something, especially given Jaha’s announcement that Clarke would run day be running The Ark… a job that was supposed to be Wells’. “Tonight, we are all gathered in remembrance of what happened on August 3rd, 1999. Most of us remember exactly where we were, eighteen years ago, when an explosion collapsed Mt. Weather, killing 382 people.” Bellamy swallowed, feeling chills at those words. It wasn’t that he didn’t hear about Mt. Weather, in fact, he heard about it all the time. But, there was something strange about hearing Clarke talk about it, especially given her family’s involvement and the fact that she likely knew exactly how it happened.

“I certainly remember… and I was only six-years-old at the time,” she continued, now turning her head slightly. Bellamy saw her make eye contact with Jaha, still looking completely poised. “In fact, I remember everything about that day,” she said, still looking right at him, and Bellamy saw the horror flash across Jaha’s face, before he recomposed himself.

Bellamy tuned out for a moment, sneaking out his phone to send Marcus a text. He glanced around the room, noticing more people that were on his list. Bellamy hadn’t had the chance to take anyone down lately, since their plans were back to being on pause… at least, until they’ve had time to reconsider the plan, since now, it was clear that people were going to get hurt.

“It is no secret that there is more the City of Light can do to help those who lost their loved ones at Mt. Weather. And, as I am taking over all operations, I promise complete transparency about how your donations will be used,” Clarke continued, her voice practically made for giving speeches like this. There was something so calming and reassuring about what she was saying, yet Bellamy was still skeptical. Not of Clarke, of course. She had a pure heart. But, the City of Light never helped a single person. And, Clarke couldn’t change that.

Bellamy tried to find her after her speech, but there were a lot of people eager to speak with her, many of which were reporters, eager to figure out what Jaha meant when he called Clarke the future of The Ark.

He watched her closely, how easily she spoke to everyone as if they were the only person that mattered. Jaha was discussing his announcement with a reporter, when Bellamy saw a familiar face rush up to give Clarke a hug. He tilted his head in confusion, wondering how on earth Riley knew Clarke.

As soon as they were done talking, Bellamy pulled him aside.

“Never thought I’d see you at a fundraiser for the City of Light,” Bellamy mumbled, as Riley recognized him.

“I could say the same about you,” Riley retorted, raising an eyebrow.

“Seriously, though. You never saw a cent from the City of Light, why are you supporting them?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at Riley.

“Oh, I don’t support it. But, I do support Clarke,” Riley said, glancing over his shoulder at Clarke.

“Why?” Bellamy asked skeptically, and Riley turned back around, giving him a grave look.

“Look, the City of Light screwed me over when it said it would help. But, let’s just say that Clarke more than made up for it, okay?” he replied, which only confused Bellamy more.

 

Bellamy didn’t get a moment alone with Clarke until he was driving her home.

“What did Jaha mean when he said you’re the future of The Ark?” Bellamy asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the road.

“I’m taking Wells’ position, effective immediately,” Clarke explained with a shrug, and Bellamy let out a breath.

“But why? Wells has been groomed for that for years.”

“Bellamy, Wells is leaving town. He wants nothing to do with the family,” she explained. “He sold his stock to me so we would keep the controlling interest.”

“You don’t really want to be running The Ark, right?” he asked, trying to rack his brain as to why Clarke would even want it. Hell, when they met, she didn’t even seem to want Griffin Global. Plus, Clarke must suspect the company’s involvement with Mt. Weather.

“No, but whether I like it or not, I will end up with Griffin Global. And, I need some experience before that day gets here. Plus, I guarantee Wells will change his mind,” she said, sounding almost frustrated as she spoke. He pulled into her driveway, and she immediately got out of his car.

Once inside, Bellamy saw Abby Griffin lying on the couch with a bottle of wine in her hand, watching the tv. He exchanged a concerned glance with Clarke, who seemed unfazed by this. Apparently, they had beaten Jaha home.

“Mom, let’s get you up to bed,” Clarke said cautiously, walking over to her. Bellamy glanced at the tv, realizing that she was watching old home movies. Clarke glanced up at the screen too, and for a moment, Clarke looked human again. Her eyes softened immediately, before she blinked herself out of it.

“Don’t you want to watch some of these with me?” Abby slurred, as Clarke pulled her up. Currently, it was a video of a snow day where Jake Griffin was trying to teach a very uncoordinated Clarke how to make a snowball.

Clarke started leading her mother toward the stairs, shooting Bellamy an apologetic look as she walked past. He kept his eyes on the screen, watching a young Clarke Griffin try to throw a snowball, that fell apart as soon as it left her hand. Her face scrunched up in frustration as Jake tried to show her again. But, apparently Clarke was just as stubborn as she is now, because she was not having it.

Then, the video switched. It was inside an office building, that Bellamy figured was Griffin Global. Now that he thought about it, it did look oddly familiar. Clarke was sitting at her father’s desk, herself barely big enough to see over the desk. Then, his phone rang.

“No, Clarke, let daddy get the phone,” he heard Abby’s voice say, realizing that she was holding the camera.

“Daddy’s office, Clarke speaking,” she answered with a huge grin, before Jake pulled the phone out of her hand, struggling to keep his laughter under control.

Bellamy glanced up at the stairs, wondering if he should have offered to help Clarke with her mother. But, the two of them could probably use a moment alone.

“Come on, Clarke,” Jake said, picking Clarke up off his chair. “Do you know why today is special?” he asked excitedly, and Clarke started grinning even bigger.

“There are other kids here today,” she squealed, and the camera shook a little bit as Abby was laughing.

“Finally, another person in this building who will actually bring her two kids to work on bring your kids to work day,” he said, rolling his eyes at Abby as she followed him out into the hallway.

Then, Bellamy saw someone he had spent all day thinking about.

“Aurora!” Jake yelled excitedly, putting Clarke on the ground.

“Sorry, we’re late,” his mother said, sounding flustered. Bellamy held his breath, wondering why he didn’t remember this day. His sister looked about four, which would have made Bellamy nine. He blinked a few times, watching how tenderly his mom ruffled up his hair as she exchanged words with Jake Griffin.

“Every year I drag Clarke in, and she’s always mad that no one else brings their kid in,” Jake explained, patting Clarke’s head. “Today, you get to have some friends,” Jake said warmly, beaming down at Clarke.

Then, without warning, Clarke rushed over to Bellamy, who looked beyond over being there, and gripped him in a tight hug.

Bellamy chuckled, watching his younger self give his mother a freaked-out look, before Clarke eventually let go to hug Octavia.

He sat down on the couch, watching the interaction unfold. Clarke and Octavia quickly became coconspirators as his mother and Jake spoke about them. Bellamy remained distant during the whole interaction, probably seeing Clarke as just another little sister type to annoy him.

There was something so weird about watching this. He had no memory of it, and doubted Octavia did either. And, Bellamy was pretty certain he would remember if he had met Clarke before this summer. But, apparently, he did, and their first interaction was her enveloping him in a hug while he looked like he kind of wanted to murder her. It was nice, though. To think that they had crossed paths before.

He grabbed the remote to rewind it, hoping to get to watch the whole thing all the way through again before Clarke came back downstairs. He watched his mother closely, seeing just how happy she seemed. This must have been right after she started working for Griffin Global, but she seemed to be pretty good friends with Jake Griffin. Bellamy never really remembered her having friends, not really. He was sure she did, but he was a kid. He wouldn’t notice that sort of thing. Just like he wouldn’t notice how Aurora handled him and Octavia with nothing but love in her eyes.

Bellamy didn’t have a lot of home videos to begin with. And, almost none of them actually showed her. She was always holding the camera, taking a video of something that he and Octavia were doing. But, he heard her voice during those.

But, this was exactly what Bellamy needed to see today. A reminder that just because his mother’s story had a tragic end didn’t mean that all of it was tragic. She was happy. And cared for. And loved.

Bellamy wiped away any tears he shed before Clarke came back downstairs, still dressed up but now without the pins holding her hair back.

“How is she doing?” Bellamy asked, and Clarke let out a sigh.

“She’s drunk and sad,” Clarke said as she walked over, glancing up at the screen.

“Clarke,” Bellamy whispered, but she kept her eyes on the screen, watching footage of Jake Griffin following Clarke around their living room as she looked for Easter eggs.

“My mother remarried within a year,” Clarke said, narrowing her eyes at the screen. “When I tried to talk to her about him, she would shut down, refusing to even speak his name. Excuse me if I’m not in the mood to comfort her when she never gave me the same courtesy,” Clarke snapped, and Bellamy stood up, moving over toward her. He put his hand on her back, feeling her lean back on him slightly.

“Clarke,” he whispered, putting his arms around her. Then, he heard it. The sound of the floodgates opening, before Clarke buried her face into Bellamy’s chest, sobbing hysterically.

After a few minutes of holding her like that, Jaha walked in, his face knowing exactly what was happening as he took in the sight. Jaha nodded sympathetically at Bellamy, before quietly making his way to his study.

Bellamy pressed a kiss to the top of Clarke’s head, happy that she was finally letting go. He didn’t like Clarke when she was putting on a show… it made him nervous.

“I’ve got you,” he reassured, feeling Clarke grip tightly onto his jacket as she kept crying.

 

Bellamy was sitting in Jasper’s apartment, watching the newly repaired feed from Jaha’s study. He was talking to Dax at the moment, but nothing seemed particularly interesting about their conversation.

Bellamy glanced around Jasper’s living room, seeing Marcus hard at work organizing his plan for this meeting. Jasper and Monty were in the kitchen, arguing about some coding problem. They were just waiting for Octavia.

Then, Bellamy noticed Abby in the feed as she moved towards Jaha’s office. Dax excused himself quickly, giving the two of them a moment alone. Bellamy cranked up the volume.

“Oh good. You made time to come see me,” Jaha muttered, not even looking up from his desk as Abby leaned over it.

“You do not have the moral high ground at the moment, Thelonious,” Abby spat, narrowing her eyes at him. Jaha’s head popped up, tilting his head as if he didn’t know what she was talking about. “Clarke almost died because of you.”

“And, I more than made up for that,” he retorted, and now Bellamy understood how Clarke got her spot at The Ark. He was buying her silence. “And, don’t lecture me about morality.”

“Excuse me?” Abby snapped, leaning back slightly.

“I never thought you’d hire a hit man to kill your other hit man,” he said with a smirk, and Marcus’ head popped up, looking slightly confused.

“I didn’t have Emerson killed. And, I’m pretty sure you already knew that because you did,” she accused, leaning forward and raising an eyebrow at him.

“I told you, Abby. I’m done cleaning up your messes,” he growled, raising an eyebrow at her.

“So, you didn’t do it?” she asked, sounding skeptical.

“I didn’t. Didn’t you?” he asked, now looking confused. She shook her head, with a concerned look on her face.

“This is a serious problem,” Jasper said, standing right behind Bellamy, causing him to jump. Bellamy hadn’t seen Jasper make his way over.

“What?” Bellamy asked, furrowing his brows up at Jasper.

“There’s only one other person that might have known who Emerson was,” Jasper said with a bleak look on his face.

“Clarke was with me that whole night,” Bellamy clarified, not liking how Jasper was accusing her.

“Monty, get into Clarke’s bank records. See if there’s any movement that looks like paying a hit man,” Jasper shouted, as Bellamy gave Marcus a frustrated look.

“Clarke has no motive to kill Emerson,” Bellamy snapped.

“Except that she has reason to suspect he’s who killed her father,” Monty pointed out, shouting from across the room.

“Okay, we don’t think Clarke did it. But, if they’re freaking out about this,” Jasper explained, pointing to the screen, “then, we should also freak out a little. We just need to make sure Clarke isn’t a suspect, just to be safe.” Then, Jasper jogged back over to Monty, and Bellamy let out a groan. Clarke would never hire a hit man. She wasn’t that kind of person.

“You can’t honestly think Clarke should work at The Ark,” Abby snapped on the feed, which caught Bellamy’s attention again.

“She needs the practice if she’s going to take Griffin Global,” Jaha muttered, now not even looking up at Abby.

“She won’t be touching Griffin Global for another six years,” Abby growled, and Jaha started smirking at her.

“You forget, Jake left a nice little loophole in his will. Clarke could get her hands on it sooner,” he said with a teasing grin, which only made Abby angrier.

“What is he talking about?” Bellamy yelled, leaning back to look at Marcus.

“Jake wanted to make sure that Clarke was nice and settled in life before she took over the company. So, she would inherit it once she was thirty or when she was married, whichever came first,” Marcus explained, sounding frustrated as he spoke. But, he looked contemplative once he was done, before frantically writing something down in his notepad.

“It’s not like she’s getting married anytime soon,” Abby muttered, now sitting down across from Jaha.

“Don’t know. Bellamy seems real serious about her,” Jaha teased, and Bellamy could now see just how much Abby didn’t trust Bellamy. He should have figured as much, especially with all the forced smiles.

“I won’t let that happen. I had Dax dig into him. That boy was in juvy,” Abby groaned, and Bellamy started smirking.

“Well, now we know who was looking into me,” Bellamy smirked, glancing over at Monty who was shaking his head.

“Okay, Clarke did not hire a hit man to kill Emerson,” Monty said, and Bellamy rolled his eyes, because he already knew this. Bellamy closed his laptop, walking over to the kitchen table to sit next to Monty. “But, there are some concerning things in her banking history.”

“Like what?” Bellamy asked, furrowing his brows slightly.

“Like the fact that she’s been making regular payments to Echo for the past two years,” Monty said, and Bellamy’s eyes widened.

“In less exciting news, it also looks like she paid off someone’s student debt,” Jasper mumbled, leaning over Monty’s shoulder.

“Okay, let’s go back to the Echo thing,” Bellamy said, getting them back on track.

“Dude, there’s nothing more that I can tell you. I don’t know why Clarke is paying Echo such obscene amounts of money,” Monty muttered, and Bellamy heard the door swing open, followed by the familiar noise of Octavia skipping on in.

“Alright, let’s table this until later,” Bellamy muttered, as Marcus and Octavia made their way over.

“Let’s get started,” Marcus announced, dropping his folder on the table before sitting down.

“Aww, our first official revenge meeting,” Jasper joked as he plopped down in the chair next to Monty.

Marcus did not acknowledge this. “I think it’s clear we need a change of strategy.”

“Okay, us picking off names one by one has been working out just fine,” Octavia snapped, leaning back in her chair.

“I mean, Clarke got kidnapped because of one of our take downs,” Monty pointed out, and Bellamy felt his chest clench up.

“No, Clarke got kidnapped because Wallace wanted revenge on Jaha,” Marcus snapped, his face tensing up as he spoke. These distinctions were important for him, Bellamy noticed. He imagined this was how he justified the collateral damage they all caused. “But, you have a point. And, to be honest, we don’t have many people left on the list.”

“Even less now,” Octavia muttered, and Bellamy’s eyes widened, glancing around the room.

“I thought we agreed no more take downs,” Bellamy snapped.

“It wasn’t us! It just happened on its own!” Octavia snapped back, and Bellamy tilted his head in confusion.

“Shumway is gone, Bellamy,” Marcus said, and Bellamy blinked a few times.

“Gillmer too,” Monty added in, eyes still on his laptop. “Maybe they’ll be cellmates,” he joked, but this didn’t sit well with Bellamy. They had nothing to do with these two men getting convicted. And, after eighteen years, they wouldn’t just get convicted without a push from someone. Bellamy glanced at Marcus suspiciously, wondering if he had been still pursuing the plan, even though it was against their agreement.

“Anyway,” Marcus interrupted, looking frustrated as he tried to regain control of this little meeting. “I think we need to find a quick way to take the rest down all at once.” Bellamy tilted his head, thinking back to Marcus’ dumb lessons over the years. He told Bellamy over and over that going straight for Jaha was reckless.

“We can’t just gun for Jaha,” Bellamy snapped, and Marcus let out a groan.

“We’re not gunning for Jaha. What we really want is evidence that Jaha can’t buy his way out of,” Marcus explained, talking emphatically with his hands.

“And how do you propose we find that?” Bellamy asked in a patronizing tone, thinking that if this had been an option before, they would have done it already.

“At The Ark and at Griffin Global,” he explained, narrowing his eyes at Bellamy. “Evidence of both company’s interactions with the Second Dawn will be in their archives. Once we have that, it won’t be hard to tie both Abby and Thelonious to Mt. Weather.”

“And, we all happen to know the future CEO of both quite well,” Octavia finished his thought, and Bellamy’s chest started to ache.

“We only need one of them, if we’re being honest. Abby and Jaha will turn on each other to reduce their own sentences,” Marcus explained, but Bellamy was already shaking his head.

“Jaha won’t ever let Clarke take The Ark, and she can’t touch Griffin Global for several years,” Bellamy groaned, since no one else was apparently noticing how ridiculous this plan was. He glanced around at the others who were looking at him like he was an idiot. “What?” Bellamy snapped, now looking back at Marcus.

“She could get Griffin Global sooner…” Marcus trailed off, shooting Bellamy a pleading look. Then, it clicked and Bellamy was quickly standing up, shaking his head as he stormed toward the front door. “Bellamy!” Marcus shouted, following after him and grabbing his shoulder.

“No, absolutely not,” Bellamy snapped.

“It’s just one last lie to her,” Marcus pleaded, and Bellamy couldn’t believe what he was suggesting. Just months ago, Marcus was threatening Bellamy for even going near Clarke. And now… “It’s a bloodless solution. If we kept up with our old plan, something worse would happen to her. This keeps her and every other innocent person out of the crossfires.”

“No,” Bellamy shouted, as the others gathered behind Marcus.

“Bellamy, he’s right,” Octavia said with a sad look on her face. “Things have already gotten out of control. This would be a quick way to finish this off so no one else gets hurt.”

“We can keep everyone safe. We just have to be more careful,” Bellamy snapped.

“That’s the same thing you said before we lost Maya,” Jasper said with a broken face, and Bellamy swallowed. That was word for word what he said a few years ago.

“Our leads keep getting murdered. First, Tsing, and now Emerson. And Pike has gone missing. Everyone we counted on dragging them down is gone,” Monty explained, and Bellamy sucked in a breath. He glanced back at Marcus, whose face was pained.

“Marcus, can I speak to you alone?” Bellamy asked, voice cracking slightly. The others walked off, whispering amongst themselves as they settled back down in the kitchen. Marcus swallowed, shooting Bellamy an apologetic look.

“It’s the only plan that makes sense anymore,” Marcus whispered, as Bellamy pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned.

“I love her,” Bellamy pleaded, desperate for Marcus to come through and find another solution to this problem. Because, if Bellamy went down this road, he would ultimately lose Clarke.

“I know. She’ll understand in the end,” Marcus said with a weak smile, trying to reassure Bellamy.

Bellamy let out a breath, closing his eyes slightly. “382 lives,” he whispered, reminding himself why he was doing this.

“385, counting Aurora Blake, Jake Griffin, and Maya Vie. They were victims in this too,” Marcus corrected, and Bellamy swallowed, feeling his entire body get heavier by the second.

“Okay, but only so that number doesn’t get any higher,” Bellamy whispered, looking down at the ground. Marcus patted Bellamy on the back, before giving him a moment alone.

Bellamy slipped out onto the balcony for a moment, needing a breath of fresh air. He forced himself to take deep breaths, remembering that he had already passed the point of no return a long time ago. He had to see this through to the end. And, he finally found a solution that would keep everyone alive. Only two people would get hurt with this plan. And, Bellamy could care less about getting himself hurt, leaving only one real victim of this plan: the woman he was madly in love with.


	9. Commitment

All those years ago, it wasn’t hard for Bellamy to commit to his plan for revenge. He was just a kid, fresh out of foster care who managed to get lucky. When Marcus told him everything about Mt. Weather and how his mother was killed, Bellamy didn’t hesitate to make a promise to seek justice. It was simple back then.

Now, not so much. For the first time in a decade, Bellamy was wavering in his commitment to this cause. When he had nothing else in his life except anger, it was different. But now, Bellamy was set to lose a great deal when this was all over.

“It’s been a month, Bellamy,” Octavia groaned as she sat down in the seat across from him, sliding his beer toward him. They were sitting at Grounders, needing a place to relax where no one actually knew who he was.

“I know,” Bellamy muttered, staring at his beer.

“I have second thoughts sometimes too,” Octavia tried to reassure with a slight shrug.

“You were willing to go all the way with Wells. I should be able to do this,” Bellamy mumbled, before taking a sip.

“I wasn’t going to fall in love with Wells. Things changed for you. That’s okay,” she said sweetly, and Bellamy shook his head. He had blown off proposing to Clarke for too long now, and everyone was getting impatient. “Things changed for me too,” Octavia continued, looking over her shoulder at Lincoln, who was tending the bar. Bellamy let out a slight huff.

“The only reason you like the new plan is because it means you won’t have to disappear when this is all over,” Bellamy muttered, before Octavia smacked his arm.

“Neither will you. And, I don’t like the new plan. But, it’s the best plan,” she snapped.

“Octavia, once Clarke realizes what I’ve been doing to her, I can’t stay here,” he whispered, eyes widening as he spoke. Then, something caught his eye over by the door. Bellamy’s head popped up, noticing Raven Reyes walking straight up to the bar and ordering with Lincoln.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Octavia whispered before looking back at Bellamy.

“Let’s find out,” Bellamy muttered as he stood up, before walking over toward Raven. “Raven, right?” Bellamy asked as he stood next to her.

“You look familiar,” she said, narrowing her eyes at Bellamy.

“Clarke’s boyfriend, Bellamy Blake,” he clarified, pretty sure she already knew that.

“Right. How have you been?” she asked, as Lincoln brought her a beer.

“Oh, life has been good. My sister and I are sitting right over there if you’d like to join us,” Bellamy suggested, as Raven whipped out her phone to respond to a text.

“I’d love to, but I’m actually meeting a friend here,” she muttered, before putting her phone away.

“Well, how about until your friend arrives?” he persisted, still curious as to how on earth she ended up being friends with Clarke. She narrowed her eyes at Bellamy, before letting out a sigh, grabbing her beer and heading over to sit across from Octavia.

“Octavia Blake,” Octavia introduced herself, reaching her hand out for Raven.

“Raven Reyes, Clarke’s friend,” Raven said, shaking Octavia’s hand.

“And how did you and Clarke meet?” Octavia asked, as Bellamy slid next to her.

“Oh, funny story. Turns out, we were dating the same guy. She reached out to me so I would know, and we just kind of bonded over the whole mess,” Raven said with a smirk, before sipping her beer. “Sorry, my friend just got here. I got to go,” she said quickly, standing up, and Bellamy looked over his shoulder seeing Echo walk into Grounders, looking incredibly out of place.

“What a small world…” Octavia muttered, and Bellamy’s jaw clenched. “I get why you’re suspicious of Echo. Hell, after what Monty suggested, even I’m pretty convinced those payments Clarke keeps making to her are from Echo blackmailing her. But, why Raven?”

“Because, Raven showed up out of nowhere magically with the one piece of information we needed to find Clarke when she got kidnapped. Doesn’t that strike you as weird?” Bellamy whispered, watching Raven and Echo head toward the bar.

“I mean, Jasper said she’s into tech stuff. Maybe she’s just observant,” Octavia suggested, and Bellamy furrowed his brows at her.

“Plus, her boyfriend was cheating on her with Clarke, and now they’re best friends? Like, that sounds in character for Clarke, but not her. She is up to something,” he muttered, and Octavia rolled her eyes. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to text Monty about it, but something was wrong with his screen. “O, look,” he whispered, holding out his phone so she could see it.

There was a giant, red infinity sign plastered on the screen with a black background. No matter what Bellamy did, he couldn’t make it go away.

Octavia pulled out her phone, and started to text Monty. Then, just as she was about to hit send, the same thing flashed across her screen. “Fuck,” she muttered, pushing Bellamy out of the booth. They ran outside, hailing a cab as quickly as they could.

By the time they reached Jasper’s apartment, they could hear the screaming from inside. Bellamy didn’t bother with knocking as he rushed inside, seeing five different devices spread out on the kitchen table as Monty and Jasper quickly typed away.

“Guys,” Bellamy said, holding up his phone that was still frozen on the massive infinity sign. Monty’s eyes widened, immediately running over to grab Bellamy’s phone out of his hand. Then, he grabbed Octavia’s and rushed back over to Jasper.

“What is going on?” Octavia asked frantically.

“Alie is back,” Monty said with a terrified look in his eyes.

“And now she knows everything we know,” Jasper said, briefly looking up exchange an apologetic look with Bellamy.

“Is she working for Jaha again?” Bellamy asked, rushing over to them.

“Or maybe Clarke? We know that they know each other?” Octavia asked, but Monty pressed his lips together.

“Maybe Jaha, but definitely not Clarke. I’ve been tracking who she’s been in contact with, and it’s limited to her family, Bellamy, Echo, and Raven,” Monty replied, and Bellamy let out a breath.

“I’ve got this one back online!” Jasper shouted, and Monty moved over to look at the screen. And, even though they were excited, it was just momentary because both of their faces faded at once.

“That’s how she got all of us at once,” Monty whispered as Jasper shook his head.

“What’s wrong?” Bellamy asked, tilting his head slightly.

“The feeds are fried. We can’t see anything in that house,” Jasper explained, his face turned sharply into a frown. “She must have tracked all the devices that we’ve accessed the feeds from.”

That’s when Marcus Kane stormed into the apartment, slamming the door shut behind him. “Who is on to us?” he yelled, but they all exchanged confused glances.

“Whoever has Alie in their pocket,” Monty replied, typing away at a different laptop.

“Fuck,” he shouted, and Bellamy rushed to his side, putting both hands on his shoulders, attempting to reassure him.

“It’s just a setback,” Bellamy whispered.

“If Jaha is working with Alie again, we are all finished,” Marcus said in a warning tone, and Bellamy sucked in a breath.

“But, we did overhear Clarke say that he and Alie have a complicated history. Maybe it’s not him,” Octavia argued, which relieved Bellamy a bit. They knew very little about Alie, but they knew she left the country for a reason. Perhaps a bad relationship with Jaha would be that reason.

“Bellamy, have you proposed to Clarke yet?” Marcus snapped, and Bellamy shook his head. “Do it, as soon as possible. If someone is onto us, we need to pick up the pace.”

Bellamy nodded weakly, feeling sick to his stomach.

 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Clarke whispered for the hundredth time, and Bellamy just nodded, keeping his eyes fixed on the stage. Echo was introducing Diana Sydney, and Bellamy was struggling to keep his thoughts focused on what she was saying. He was still worked up over seeing Echo meeting with Raven the night before. Now that the Alie situation was sort of under control, he had time to theorize what the two of them could possibly have in common, besides Clarke apparently.

Then, Bellamy felt Clarke let go of his arm. He turned to look at her, seeing her walk away toward the back of the room. “Clarke,” he whispered, but she didn’t acknowledge him. He let out a huff, now chasing after her as subtly as possible so he didn’t alarm anyone else in the ballroom.

Once he got out into the lobby, he spotted Clarke stepping outside. He let a groan before following after her. “Clarke,” he snapped as soon as the door shut behind him, spotting Clarke pacing on the sidewalk.

“I just needed some air,” she mumbled, not even looking at him.

“Clarke, what’s wrong?” he asked, stepping toward her. Her head snapped up with narrowed eyes.

“I could ask you the same thing,” she snapped, and Bellamy swallowed. “For weeks, you have been acting strange. It’s like you’re here, but you’re not actually here.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, closing his eyes. Of course, his recent behavior would concern her. There was no way she could understand how conflicted he had been feeling, and it probably came off as distant.

“Something is up with you, yet you won’t talk to me about it.”

“Clarke.”

“Are you keeping something from me?” she snapped, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. “And think long and hard before you answer ‘no.’” Bellamy should have known that Clarke was too smart to keep all this hidden from her. Of course, she would pick up on it. Nothing seemed to get past Clarke.

“Yes,” he said cautiously, knowing that Clarke would surely snap on him if he tried to deny it. But, at that small admission, Clarke’s face immediately shifted, looking almost soft. “I just didn’t know how to say this to you.”

Whatever tension was in Clarke’s face had melted away, as her wide eyes looked up at him, eager for him to continue speaking. And, he felt another wave of guilt almost knock him over, knowing that he was never going to tell her the real truth. He swallowed, taking a moment to enjoy his last few seconds before he did something he was going to regret for the rest of his life.

“I’ve been acting weird because I’ve been trying to figure out how to ask you something,” he explained, and Clarke slammed her mouth shut, closing her eyes quickly as she swallowed. He looked down at the ground, trying to collect himself before he continued. And Clarke didn’t rush him. In fact, she stood still as a statue in complete silence.

By the time he looked back up at her, her face was perfectly composed, like it was whenever they had guests over at the house. Bellamy found that a bit unnerving, that after all this time Clarke would put on this face for him. What was more unnerving was that Bellamy couldn’t tell which emotion she was trying to mask.

“I’ve been trying to figure out how to ask you to marry me,” he said, and Clarke’s face made no reaction.

“Well, I think you’re supposed to start by getting down on one knee,” she retorted, raising an eyebrow. And, Bellamy immediately rolled his eyes, getting down on his knee. Of course, Clarke Griffin would correct him on how to propose. He shouldn’t have expected anything less from his princess.

“Better?” he asked, as Clarke pursed her lips.

“Technically, you still haven’t asked me anything,” she pointed out, tilting her head slightly. Bellamy bit his lip, reaching into his pocket to fish out the ring.

“Oh my God, you are difficult,” he mumbled, noticing Clarke’s smirk.

“I’m not the one who chose to propose on a sidewalk outside a Marriott in front of the guys who work the valet,” Clarke retorted, as Bellamy turned around to see a couple of teenagers in the hotel uniform giving him a thumbs up.

“Can I ask the damn question already?” he groaned as he turned his head back around to look up at Clarke.

“I don’t know, can you?” she teased, and Bellamy let out a huff.

“Clarke,” he muttered, closing his eyes slightly. “I love you, so much. Even when you’re correcting me on how to propose to you,” he started, and Clarke had a smug look on her face at that last part. “If you’d let me, I’d love to spend the rest of my life with you.” Bellamy shuddered slightly, uncomfortable with how truthful that sentence was. “Clarke Griffin, will you marry me?”

For a moment, he hoped she’d say no. That he would have no choice but to come up with another plan. That this plan fell apart for reasons outside of Bellamy’s control. That he wasn’t the one who let everyone else down.

But, he needed her to say yes. Even if it killed him.

And so, Clarke said the most heartbreaking word he had ever heard.

 

Upon hearing the news, it took Abby Griffin all of two seconds to drag Clarke into another room to try and talk her out of it, leaving Bellamy alone with Jaha, who honestly seemed overjoyed by the news.

“She doesn’t approve of me, does she?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at Jaha.

“Her approval is highly overrated. You have mine and that’s what matters,” Jaha said smugly, looking Bellamy up and down.

“Thank you, sir,” Bellamy said with a smile.

“And, Abby has her reasons for not wanting Clarke to get married so young,” he said with annoyed look on his face, and Bellamy knew he was referring to Griffin Global.

“Well, I know Clarke and I haven’t been together long, but we can have a longer engagement if that would make her mother happy,” Bellamy suggested, even though he had no intention of having a long engagement. They needed to get married quickly before anyone caught onto what Bellamy was really doing.

“Oh, no. I say the quicker the better,” Jaha said with a strange smile, and Bellamy found himself completely and utterly confused. If Clarke got married, that would mean Abby lost her spot at Griffin Global. He shouldn’t want that.

“Thelonious,” Abby snapped as she and Clarke walked back in. Bellamy wished the feeds still worked so he could go back and watch whatever showdown just went down between the two Griffin women. Clarke took her spot next to Bellamy, immediately grabbing his hand as she slid right up against him.

“Abby, these two kids are in love. Why wait?” Jaha asked, grinning at Abby who had a nervous expression on her face.

“It’s just a little quick. They haven’t even known each other that long. They should use their engagement to get to know each other,” Abby retorted, and Bellamy glanced over at Clarke whose gaze was fixed on Jaha. She looked slightly confused, almost skeptical.

“But, Wells is leaving soon for that year long mission trip. Surely, Clarke would want to get married before he leaves so that Wells can be there to walk her down the aisle,” Jaha argued, leaning forward to glare at Abby, whose mouth slammed shut.

Clarke’s eyes shifted back and forth between Abby and Jaha, looking suspicious of both of them.

“And, waiting over a year is just too long. After all, we got married after just being engaged for two weeks,” Jaha said sweetly, even though Bellamy was pretty certain the two of them only got married so they could never testify against each other.

“What are you suggesting?” Clarke asked, brows furrowed at Jaha.

“That we get you two married in a month,” Jaha said, looking intensely at Clarke. Then, Bellamy realized what was going on here. Jaha wanted Clarke to take Griffin Global. He was trying to make it happen as quickly as possible for some reason.

Clarke turned to look at Bellamy, studying his face closely for any objection. Bellamy swallowed, nodding to her to signal he was okay with it. In fact, better than okay. The sooner this was over, the sooner everyone could move on from this.

“That’s a lot of work to get done in a month,” Abby argued, and Clarke leaned back on the couch, letting out a breath.

“I have no doubt we can pull this off. I have several favors I can call in,” Jaha said, standing up and dismissing himself toward his study.

 

“Holy shit!” Octavia screamed, hitting Bellamy’s arm repeatedly.

“I wasn’t expecting this to go so smoothly,” Marcus muttered, looking through the calendar. “That means we are just weeks away from getting our hands on the financial records.”

“Jaha insisted we have the wedding quickly,” Bellamy said suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at Monty. “Which doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Well, you said that it sounded like he wanted Abby out of Griffin Global. Who cares why?” Monty asked, not looking up from his laptop.

“No, our current theory is that Alie is working with Jaha. But, then, Jaha would know exactly what we’ve been planning. Meaning, he wouldn’t want Clarke to take Griffin Global.”

“Well, then Alie isn’t working with Jaha,” Octavia connected the dots, and Bellamy wasn’t sure if that was comforting or not.

“And, it’s not Alie that hacked into our system,” Jasper snapped, before turning his laptop around. Bellamy walked over, seeing a French news article.

“I don’t speak French, Jasper,” Bellamy snapped, raising an eyebrow at him.

“She’s been convicted of cyber terrorism,” Marcus read, leaning over the laptop. “And they used her real name. Becca has been in prison for at least the last month.”

“Meaning, it couldn’t have been her,” Jasper connected the dots, and Bellamy’s jaw dropped slightly.

“This isn’t comforting. At least when we thought it was her, we had a small list of people she could be working for,” Octavia snapped, banging her fist on the table as she spoke. Bellamy looked at Monty, who seemed slightly pensive.

“What are you thinking, Monty?” Bellamy snapped, knowing all too well what Monty looked like when he was on to something.

“I don’t think we need to know who it was,” he muttered, before pressing his lips together.

“Someone knows everything we are doing, Monty,” Marcus growled, but Monty just put up his hand.

“There are names on that list that have been crossed out without us having a damn thing to do with it. And now, Alie or Becca is taken care of too. That’s not a coincidence,” Monty said, narrowing his eyes at Bellamy. Everyone else stopped what they were doing to look at Monty. “I think, whoever hacked into our system is on our side and has been picking other people off the list.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Marcus snapped.

“Is it? 382 people left behind a lot of loved ones who would want revenge. It’s stupid to think that we’re the only ones out there,” Bellamy said, and Monty’s lips curved up into a smile, grateful that someone else caught what he was saying.

“Well, whoever this is knows who we are. That’s a serious liability,” Jasper argued.

“Maybe, but they haven’t outed us either. And odds are, they’ve known about us for a while. I mean, they knew exactly where to go to get all the information we had,” Monty suggested before swallowing.  

“We can’t just let this go, though,” Marcus said, bracing his hands on the table.

“Why not? After all, whoever this is must have taken down Becca. And, we had written her off as a target we would never be able to get,” Monty said.

“They could keep up their work and we could keep up ours. Between them and us, we’ve basically finished off the list. There’s no reason to target them when it’s clear they’re working with us,” Bellamy argued, and Monty started nodding along.

“Are you guys forgetting they hacked us?” Octavia snapped.

“Yeah, but all of our info is still backed up. And, we have a way of getting the cameras back online soon. I think they just wanted to know what we knew,” Monty replied.

“Here is what I don’t understand. If the hacking wasn’t done by Alie, why did you two think it was?” Marcus asked, tilting his head slightly. Monty and Jasper exchanged a look.

“Alie is kind of arrogant. She liked plastering that infinity symbol on everything she touched to let people know exactly who hacked them. So, it looked like her work,” Jasper explained. “But, as we said, it couldn’t have been her. So, we must be dealing with some kind of copycat.”

 

Bellamy had never visited Clarke while she was at work. Her job at The Ark was relatively new, after all. But, he decided to be a good fiancé and bring her lunch.

When he got up to her office, he looked through the window, seeing her lean back against her desk, eyes narrowed at something across the room. There were times Bellamy forgot just how influential and powerful a person Clarke was, since he liked to think he saw the softer side of her that didn’t care much for the spotlight. But, looking at her now, in her black, fitted skirt suit, it struck him just how good power looked on her. If he didn’t know better, he would say she ran this place. He knocked lightly at the door before she signaled for him to come in.

“Please tell me that’s a grilled cheese,” she said with a soft smile, before kissing Bellamy on the cheek.

“So much for surprising you,” he teased, putting the box on her desk. He looked around, noticing Clarke’s massive board on her wall with people’s faces on them and brief descriptions of each one of them. “What’s all this?”

Clarke let out a small huff. “Not necessarily Ark business,” she said with a slight shrug. Bellamy looked closer, realizing that some of these people looked familiar to him. “So, when my dad died, he left Griffin Global to my mother until I was qualified to take over. I am, and his only other requirements were that I be either thirty or married, whichever came first,” she explained, and Bellamy remembered to try and look like this was news to him. After all, she had never talked to him about this.

“Is that why she wasn’t happy about our engagement?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. Clarke rolled her eyes, moving behind her desk to open the take-out box.

“That and other reasons. But, mostly that,” Clarke explained before taking a big bite out of her grilled cheese. “Anyways, the only way for her to keep it is for her to convince the board that I’m unfit.”

Bellamy raised an eyebrow, not realizing that this wasn’t a sure deal. After all, Griffin Global was always supposed to be Clarke’s.

“She wouldn’t do that,” Bellamy said, even though he knew all too well that Abby Griffin was more than capable of throwing Clarke under the bus if it kept her in power.

“She would. I’ve been running the numbers, and if she does what I think she will, she’ll have the votes,” Clarke said exasperatedly, running her fingers through her hair.

“I’m so sorry,” Bellamy replied, mind racing as to how they had missed this when they made this plan. Of course, it wouldn’t be that simple.

“Don’t be. Those numbers are only if I play fair,” Clarke said with a smug smirk, and Bellamy swallowed.

“What are you planning on doing?” Bellamy asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Well, Thelonious is working his contacts and getting me some votes. But, if that doesn’t work, I have one trump card to play. I don’t want to, but if she doesn’t back down, I will,” Clarke replied, leaning back in her chair as she glanced over at her board.

“Are you saying you’re going to blackmail your mother into giving up the company?” Bellamy asked, honestly not judging since it’s what he needs Clarke to do, but he just didn’t expect something so devious from her.

“I don’t like to think of it as blackmail. I like to think of it as providing consequences for her stealing something that my father left for me specifically,” Clarke clarified, and Bellamy let out a small chuckle.

“What am I marrying into?” he joked, and Clarke tilted her head, narrowing her eyes at him.

“I think you know exactly what you’re marrying into,” she retorted, raising an eyebrow at him.

“So, why is Thelonious even helping you? Shouldn’t he want his wife to stay in charge of Griffin Global?” he asked, and Clarke let out a sigh.

“She asked for a divorce,” Clarke said with a stern look on her face. Bellamy’s brows furrowed, as he tried to figure out how they had missed this. Perhaps it had happened while the feeds were out. But, this was huge. If they successfully divorced, that meant they could testify against each other when all of this fell apart, giving testimony that could damn each other in ways that Bellamy could never even dream of. “But, she’d be likely to rethink that if she no longer had her main source of wealth,” Clarke explained.

“Where do you stand on this?” he asked, wondering why Clarke would go along with helping Jaha if it meant her mother got hurt. After all, if she had to choose, he would think she would choose Abby.

“I could care less if they got divorced or not. But, she is trying to take Griffin Global from me. So, I don’t feel bad about using their little argument to get Thelonious to help me,” she shrugged, before eating a fry.

 

Echo had whisked Clarke away for the night, apparently for “secret wedding things” that Bellamy didn’t get to know about. But, Bellamy was just grateful for a few moments to himself. It had been a crazy week, with the proposal and its aftermath. He had hoped the plan would come along quickly, but he hadn’t anticipated getting his way within a month.

Bellamy was relaxing in his house, drinking beer with Marcus as they watched something mindless on tv. There really wasn’t much for Bellamy to plan anymore. There were no moves to be made until Clarke was seated as the head of Griffin Global.

“How are you holding up?” Marcus asked, glancing over his shoulder at Bellamy.

“As good as to be expected,” Bellamy muttered, before taking another sip from his bottle.

“Bellamy.”

“Did you know that I met her once? Back when we were kids?” he asked, looking over at Marcus who was shaking his head. “Saw it in a home video. Things could have been different for us.”

“But, they’re not, Bellamy. You’re doing the right thing.”

“No, I’m doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. There’s a difference,” he snapped, leaning his head back. “I hate them,” he growled, and Marcus’ head snapped up. “It’s bad enough they took my mom from me and killed all those people. But…”

“Bellamy,” Marcus whispered, putting his hand on Bellamy’s shoulder.

“If Mt. Weather never happened, I could have grown up knowing Clarke. I never would have had to target her, to stalk her, looking for information. To use her,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I’m going to lose her, when she realizes what all I’ve done to her and her family.”

“She will understand.”

“But, she won’t forgive. You were right about that,” Bellamy snapped.

“I know. Look, you have to find a way to separate your feelings from this if you’re going to pull this off,” Marcus said. Bellamy nodded, acknowledging what he already knew to be the truth.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching a dumb commercial for laundry detergent.

“So, I know most things about my life at the moment are a lie,” Bellamy said, turning slightly to look at Marcus. “But, in all honesty, you are my best friend. Without you, I don’t know where Octavia and I would be.”

“Bellamy, you don’t have to say this…”

“I want you to be my best man, even if this wedding is based on a lie,” Bellamy finished with a slightly forced smile. Marcus smiled back, before pulling Bellamy in for a hug.

“I’d be honored,” he whispered, gripping onto Bellamy tightly.

 

Bellamy was watching the feeds in bed, mostly out of habit. Monty had fixed his computer to be basically unhackable. He saw Clarke stumble in, looking a little bit drunk. He furrowed his brows, wondering where Echo had taken her that night. Abby came in, looking concerned.

“Clarke, are you drunk again?” she snapped, putting her hands on both sides of Clarke’s face and examining her closely.

“Fuck off,” Clarke muttered, pushing away sloppily. Abby gripped her even tighter, her eyes wide with concern.

“Talk to me, Clarke. I’m worried sick about you,” she said in her most reassuring voice, but Clarke wasn’t having it. Then, Thelonious strolled in, narrowing his eyes at the scene.

“Clarke, why don’t you go upstairs?” he requested as Abby let go, and Clarke gave her a victorious grin. Abby exchanged an annoyed look with Jaha, who just seemed amused by her antics.

“She is not ready for Griffin Global,” Abby snapped once Clarke was up the stairs. “The stress of trying to get the votes alone is driving her to drink.”

“I think she’ll be just fine,” Jaha muttered, turning around to head back to his study. Bellamy switched the feeds to the upstairs hallway. Clarke was walking better now, looking more sober than she did when she first walked in the door. Then, she slipped into her room, and Bellamy switched the camera again.

And, as he watched her quickly type into the keypad of the safe under her desk, Bellamy came to a weird realization. Clarke wasn’t actually drunk. He leaned forward, watching her closely as she pulled out a notepad and a burner phone. She started dialing quickly, glancing down at the notepad to get the number.

Bellamy held a breath, his eyes glued to the screen.

“I’m three votes short. I don’t want to release the photos of you, but I will if it’s my only choice,” she said confidently, leaning back on her desk and pressing her lips together. She listened closely, tilting her head to the side. Whoever she was talking to said something to make Clarke smirk wickedly, which made Bellamy extremely uncomfortable. “You were the one who had the affair with my mother. I would look at yourself before throwing accusations my way.”

Bellamy’s brows furrowed, now pulling up the timeline he and Jasper made from Clarke’s file. She had to be referring to 2003, but they still hadn’t figured out who she had an affair with.

“You still have a lot of sway with the board after all these years. I’m sure you’ll figure something out,” she snapped, her jaw clenched slightly. Whoever it was on the phone was still talking when Clarke snapped the phone shut, with a terrifying look of satisfaction on her face. She locked the notepad and phone back up, before starting to get ready for bed.

And while Bellamy knew that Clarke was doing whatever it took to get Griffin Global and that he should be glad for his own plan’s sake, he got chills… seeing Clarke with her claws out like this. He had a horrible feeling in his gut that Clarke could destroy someone just as easily and viciously as Jaha and Abby could. After all, she was just as smart as them and she had the same amount of resources and connections.

Bellamy now feared what consequences awaited him once she learned how he had used her.

He wanted to believe Clarke wasn’t the vindictive type, but, in all fairness, he really didn’t know her that well. He had mountains of research on her, sure. But, he was seeing a side of her he hadn’t really noticed before. The part of her that was willing to do whatever it took to get something she wanted. And it was easily the scariest thing about her.


	10. Perception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting closer and closer to the wedding. AH! I'm so excited to write the wedding chapter(s)
> 
> Anyways, this one's got some smut in it for ya. Loving the theories, guys. I love hearing your thoughts on these chapters! Thanks for all the sweet comments!

Perception was key to people like this, Bellamy was learning. On the inside of that house, they were all at each other’s throats. Thelonious against Abby. Abby against Clarke. Clarke against Thelonious. Without Wells there to keep the peace, there was no remaining barrier to withhold their natural animosity toward each other. And, as Bellamy was quickly learning, Clarke might just be the most vicious among them. Not because she is a vindictive person, but because she’s constantly underestimated.

Bellamy was watching the feeds as Abby Griffin prepared for Clarke’s wedding shower. Luckily, Octavia would be there to witness the event for them, and he still anticipated an amusing day of passive aggressiveness between Abby and Clarke.

“Clarke really went for this prenup, didn’t she?” Marcus teased, flipping through the pages.

“Jaha’s legal team threw that together. I don’t think Clarke has even seen it,” Bellamy muttered, shaking his head slightly.

“Oh, trust me, she has. Your assets are quite well protected, which has her fingerprints all over it,” Marcus replied, tossing the stack of papers back onto the coffee table.

“I thought the renegotiating of the prenup after ten years was a nice touch. Too bad Clarke is going to slap a divorce on you harder than she punched Jaha that one time,” Jasper joked before Monty slapped him on the back of the head. “Or harder than when she knocked Kane to the ground,” he added in giddily, preemptively moving out of Monty’s hitting range this time.

“Ha ha, I’m entering into a sham of a marriage with someone I actually love. This is hilarious,” Bellamy deadpanned, before throwing a pillow at Jasper.

“Also, I would like to point out that if I had known how much training Clarke had, I would have been more prepared and wouldn’t have touched the ground,” Marcus snapped, and Bellamy started chuckling.

“That’s on you. Never underestimate Clarke Griffin,” Bellamy said smugly, a little proud of how Clarke kicked his ass. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t go back and rewatch that particular tape. His princess was tough as hell.

“What is that snake doing there…” Marcus muttered, looking over Bellamy’s shoulder at the screen. Bellamy glanced at the screen, seeing Diana Sydney stroll into the house carrying a present. Abby met her, taking the gift from her hands personally.

“I doubt Clarke had much to do with the guest list to this,” Bellamy muttered, thinking about how much Clarke had been bitching about this. If it had been up to her, Echo would have been throwing this and less than twenty people would have been invited. After all, it wasn’t like Clarke actually needed any gifts. Her personal wealth easily exceeded every person in that house combined, excluding her mother of course. “Hey, Monty, how is the search going?” Bellamy asked, muting his laptop before walking over to him.

“What’s he looking for?” Marcus asked, following quickly after Bellamy.

“We’re trying to figure out who Abby was having an affair with back in 2003. If Clarke doesn’t get the votes, she’s going to blackmail both her mother and whoever the guy is,” Bellamy explained, resting his hands on the back of Monty’s chair.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’ve kept my ear to the ground and Clarke is going to get the votes,” Marcus reassured, which made Bellamy feel so much better. Her not having the votes was his worst-case scenario. It would mean that Bellamy was going through with this horrible thing for nothing.

“And I’ve gotten no luck on my search. A year isn’t much to go on,” Monty muttered, and Bellamy let out a groan.

“Are we sure Clarke is being blackmailed by Echo?” Jasper asked suddenly, causing Bellamy to blink a few times. “I mean, Echo is her maid of honor. Clarke spends a lot of time with her. You tend not to do that when you’re being blackmailed.”

“You have a point, but where is this coming from?” Bellamy asked, now sitting on the kitchen table, looking at Jasper who was sitting in a chair across from Monty.

“I’m looking over her banking records. It’s been the exact same payment on the first day of every month for two years. Blackmailers tend to get greedy and raise their price after a while,” Jasper pointed out, and Bellamy let out a huff. He really thought he had figured out the Echo situation.

Then, Bellamy noticed Monty shift in his seat. “Alright, what’s your new theory?” Bellamy asked him, knowing the look of Monty putting pieces of a puzzle together.

“Clarke could just be helping Echo,” he shrugged, and Bellamy furrowed his eyebrows at him. “Look, it’s not out of character for Clarke. Especially with how things have been looking for The City of Light since she took over.”

“What does that mean?” Bellamy asked, feeling out of the loop. Granted, he had been too busy tasting cakes and pretending to have opinions on centerpieces, but still.

“For one thing, it’s actually doing its job. Like the money is actually going to the family members of the victims of Mt. Weather.”

“Are you sure? Because, they’ve cooked the books before,” Bellamy said exasperatedly, not that he would accuse Clarke of knowingly doing that.

“They reimbursed my dad for his recent hospital bills and paid in advance for six months’ rent for his apartment, despite never reaching out to us before,” Monty explained, slamming his computer shut as he glared at Bellamy. “And, we’re not the only people who have had The City of Light suddenly rush in to help alleviate the financial burden recently.”

“Plus, she definitely took care of Riley’s student debt, and that was out of her own pocket,” Jasper added in, examining the screen.

“She’s making reparations for what Jaha and Abby did,” Marcus put the pieces together, and Bellamy closed his mouth quickly, not realizing that his jaw had been dropped slightly.

“And if Echo has some kind of connection to Mt. Weather, Clarke might be taking care of her too. Guilt is a powerful thing,” Monty continued, and Bellamy blinked a few times, not sure why he was even surprised. This was Clarke Griffin they were talking about. He thought he’d learn by now to expect the unexpected.

 

“Please tell me you’ve been watching the feed,” Octavia whispered over the phone, and Bellamy started walking back downstairs to get to his laptop. He had sent the guys back to Jasper’s place to work, wanting a bit of quiet time to himself before Clarke came over.

“No, what did I miss?”

“That Lexa girl is here,” Octavia whispered, and Bellamy plopped down onto his bed, opening up his laptop.

“We never figured out who that was,” he mumbled, typing in his password.

“If the gossip is to be believed, it’s Clarke’s ex-girlfriend,” Octavia said, which caught Bellamy’s attention.

“Why don’t we have anything on her?” he asked, suddenly worried that this mystery girl could ruin their whole plan.

“Okay, this is coming from Echo so I don’t know how reliable this is, but apparently, Abby Griffin wrote her a huge check back in the day in exchange for her leaving Clarke,” she replied, and Bellamy’s chest started to ache for younger Clarke. He had suspected something like this had happened, especially with how Clarke took the whole Roan and Wells situation.

“Why the hell is she at Clarke’s bridal shower?” Bellamy snapped, locating Lexa immediately. She was standing just a little too close to Clarke. But, one look at Clarke’s face let his entire body relax. It was a forced smile, which meant he had nothing to worry about.

“Abby invited her,” Octavia answered, and Bellamy could hear a slight echo to her voice. She was hiding out in the bathroom to make this phone call.

“Well, she’s really pulling out all the stops to stop this wedding,” Bellamy muttered, thinking back to the previous week when Abby dropped Bellamy’s juvy record into dinner conversation and Clarke verbally bitch slapped her over it. As Octavia hung up, Bellamy leaned back, getting comfortable so he wouldn’t miss a thing.

He watched carefully, noticing how Clarke flinched when Lexa got too close, or how she avoided making eye contact with her mother. The party was dwindling down, but Lexa stayed behind along with Echo and Harper, which made him uncomfortable. Then, Bellamy’s phone rang.

“Hello?” he answered, not recognizing the number.

“Hi, Bellamy Blake,” the woman said, and he recognized this voice from the dozens of interviews he watched. “This is Diana Sydney. I hope you don’t mind, but I might have stolen this number out of Clarke’s contacts.”

“Not at all. How can I help you, Ms. Sydney?” he forced himself to say kindly. He kept his eyes on the screen, noticing how Clarke was slipping up the stairs. He switched the feeds around, watching her move toward her room, face still stoic as ever.

“Well, I’m a reporter, but I happen to be very good friends with Abby Griffin,” she said, and Bellamy rolled his eyes. “I’m working on a piece right now about your upcoming wedding to her daughter, and I was hoping you could give me some kind of statement.”

Bellamy blinked a few times, wondering how on earth he stumbled into this beautiful opportunity. Diana Sydney was one of the few people he hadn’t gotten to cross off the list, and she was basically asking him to set her up.

Bellamy was still studying the screen, seeing Clarke kick off her heels as soon as her door was shut. Then, she sank to the ground, breaking into a huge sob. Bellamy lowered the volume quickly, not wanting Diana Sydney to hear this.

“You know, I don’t know if you really want a statement from me. Especially given how close you are with Mrs. Griffin,” he said as vaguely as he could, knowing that a snake like her couldn’t help but to bite. He kept his eyes fixed on Clarke heaving on her bedroom floor, and his chest started to ache with rage. He was going to kill two birds with one stone when it came to this particular take down.

“I assure you, I can be unbiased. And I would never name you as my source,” she said a little too eagerly, and if Bellamy wasn’t so pissed, he would smirk at how easy it was for her to take this bait.

See, Diana Sydney was instrumental in the Mt. Weather cover up. Her debut novel featured all sorts of “facts” that deflected any blame from The Ark when the explosion hit. The worst of it was how she knowingly deceived millions of her readers, practically brainwashing them into believing it was just the work of a radical group. Since then, she hasn’t been able to follow that novel up. But, she’d been writing for some prestigious newspapers, dragging even the most elite into negative spotlight with her speculative gossip.

On the feed, Clarke heard her mother call for her, and Clarke immediately moved to her mirror to get herself back together. And, God, Bellamy hated Abby Griffin for everything she puts Clarke through.

“You won’t list me as your source?” he asked, making sure he sounded a little bit nervous as he did.

“Of course, Mr. Blake,” she reassured. To be honest, it didn’t matter if she ended up telling Abby Griffin exactly where she got this information from. It wasn’t like Abby could do more to make Bellamy’s life difficult.

“The wedding planning is going fine, and I’m very excited to marry Clarke. She’s the love of my life. I just wish her mother wasn’t so dead set on stopping the wedding,” he said, watching Clarke slip her shoes back on before checking her makeup again.

“I’m sure that’s not true…” Sydney trailed off, and Bellamy knew she was hooked.

“I’m sure it has nothing to do with me. After all, once Clarke gets married, she can take Mrs. Griffin’s position at Griffin Global.”

“Oh, I did not know that,” she replied, sounding excited as she spoke. He knew Diana Sydney couldn’t resist a good story.

“Yeah, things have been getting pretty ugly. And Clarke has been devastated. It’s not easy watching your own mother sabotage your future career like this,” Bellamy said, watching Clarke float back into the living room like nothing just happened.

“Well, maybe I am chasing the wrong story,” she said, and now Bellamy was smirking for real.

“Look, I don’t mean to cause any trouble. I just wanted to vent a little. I love Clarke so much, and getting her father’s company means the world to her. I’m sure Mrs. Griffin has her reasons. But, I just want Clarke to be happy,” he replied, and could hear her excitedly typing on the other line.

“Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Blake. I won’t mention your name, I assure you,” she said before hanging up.

Bellamy watched Clarke escort Echo to the front door, before closing it behind her. The house was now empty. He cranked the volume back up as soon as he saw Clarke’s murderous gaze dart in her mother’s direction.

“What kind of stunt are you trying to pull?” Clarke yelled, storming into the living room with a speed Bellamy didn’t think she was capable of while still in heels.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Abby said flippantly, moving some of the wrapping paper aside before sitting down on the couch.

“You are doing everything you possibly can to get me to call off this wedding,” Clarke snapped, as Abby crossed her legs, looking back at Clarke.

“I’m just trying to save you from the bloodbath that will be you and I fighting over Griffin Global. I’ve been playing this game for decades, Clarke. You won’t win,” she said calmly, with a smug grin on her face.

“I wouldn’t bet against me,” Clarke replied, raising an eyebrow. Bellamy smirked, beaming with pride for Clarke.

“Here is what will happen: the board will have a meeting over the matter, and all I have to do is provide evidence that you are unfit to take over, and it’s over for you. And, you don’t have the advantage. No real business experience outside of your work with The Ark, you’re young, and I know all the skeletons in your closet.”

“You forget that last part goes both ways,” Clarke growled.

“You have nothing on me, Clarke. I have a clean record,” she snapped, before pursing her lips.

“Here is what will actually happen: Thelonious has already bought several board members for me, one of which will put forward a vote of no confidence. After all, stock tends to go down when the face of the company’s life is erupted into scandal.”

“There is no scandal, Clarke.”

“So, you’re totally fine if I leak to the press that The City of Light was your personal piggy bank when the government froze your assets during the Mt. Weather investigation?” she asked, and Bellamy immediately texted the others to make sure they were watching the feeds. They had been trying to figure out for years where The City of Light’s funds actually went, and Clarke just gave them their answer.

“Clarke, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Abby snapped a little too loudly, and Clarke only looked more smug.

“Or how about your affair? That wouldn’t go over well considering Griffin Global’s strict morality clause,” she teased, now sitting across from Abby.

“You don’t have evidence of me having an affair,” Abby bluffed, but Bellamy knew Clarke had her.

“Well, the photos I have are from 2003. But, I wonder if this was an ongoing affair. Tell me, did you wait until Dad was cold in the ground before you started screwing Marcus Kane?” Within seconds, Bellamy could see Marcus calling him, but he hit silent. His heart was pounding, as a million questions popped into his head. Marcus called again, but he ignored it.

Marcus had been lying to him.

“Clarke, please,” Abby pleaded.

“Check mate,” Clarke snapped, standing up and smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress.

Marcus called again, but Bellamy couldn’t speak to him. Not when this whole time he had kept this from him. He had been screwing the enemy. And he had a million opportunities to confess. Like when they were looking for the man Abby had been sleeping with just earlier that day.

“I am your mother,” Abby said, chasing Clarke as she moved toward the stairs.

“And I will ruin you if you try to take another thing from me,” Clarke threatened, turning around and stepping toward Abby. Abby back stepped, looking almost terrified of Clarke.

“Clarke, we’re family. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you,” Abby said.

Marcus called Bellamy again. This time he answered.

“I should have told you. I’m so sorry, Bellamy,” Marcus pleaded, and Bellamy swallowed, lowering the volume on Abby and Clarke’s fight. He’d seen enough of these by now to predict how this one would end.

“You’re right. You should have,” Bellamy growled, his jaw tensing up.

“I didn’t know the extent of her involvement with Mt. Weather until after our affair. I ended it, I swear,” Marcus said, sounding actually apologetic.

“We all do questionable things,” Bellamy muttered, leaning his head back.

“I thought I loved her. But, I didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t want you to doubt my allegiance to the cause,” Marcus pleaded.

“I’ll call you back tomorrow. I need some time,” he muttered before hanging up. He started turning the volume back up, seeing the Griffin women still going at it. After a few more minutes, Clarke grabbed her keys and stormed out. Bellamy packed up his laptop, knowing all too well that she was heading over.

By the time Clarke showed up, Bellamy had calmed down a bit. He also downed a glass of whiskey, which helped him not think about how Marcus had been keeping something from him for a decade.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Bellamy asked, greeting Clarke by the door. He cupped her face in his hands, noticing the extra redness in her eyes. Sometimes, he got so used to seeing the ferocious part of Clarke that he forgot that she was capable of crying.

“Nothing,” she whispered with a small smile, before leaning up to capture his lips in a quick kiss.

“Did something happen at the shower?” he asked, raising an eyebrow, before running his fingers through her hair.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Clarke said quickly, before pulling Bellamy down for a deeper kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her as close to him as possible. Clarke moaned into his mouth, gripping his collar tightly.

“I want to know what’s wrong,” he whispered against her lips, but she was ignoring him, now grabbing his wrists and pulling him toward the bedroom. “Clarke,” he groaned, before she turned around and pouted.

“Please, Bell,” she pleaded, stepping toward him and putting both of her palms flat against his chest. “I need you.” He let out a sigh, putting his hands right over hers. Her eyes were wide, waiting for him to give in. So, he leaned in and pressed another kiss to her lips. She smiled against them, throwing her arms around his neck. He lifted her up quickly, feeling her legs wrap around his torso. Then, he slowly backed her up against a wall, pressing his body hard against hers.

“You need me, huh?” he whispered against her lips before smirking.

“Yeah, I need you,” she said with a sexy little pout, and Bellamy swears a growl escaped his own lips before he crashed them into hers.

Eventually, they made it into his bedroom, quickly clawing away any clothing left on each other. Clarke clung to him like her life depended on it, her lips almost always touching some part of his skin. He climbed on top of her quickly once they made it to the bed, letting her feel the full weight of him on her.

“So beautiful, Clarke,” Bellamy whispered against her skin as he kissed his way down her throat. Her fingers were massaging his scalp, which made it hard for Bellamy to focus on what he was doing.

“Bellamy,” she whimpered, causing Bellamy to glance up at her, seeing her look at him desperately.

“What do you need, princess?” he asked, desperate to make her feel better. He wasn’t stupid. He knew Clarke was using him to distract herself from what had to be a pretty emotionally volatile day. He didn’t care. He’d let Clarke use him all she wanted if it meant she stopped feeling any pain, even for just a moment.

“Your fingers,” she whispered, and Bellamy slid off her, letting his hands spread her legs for him.

“So wet for me already,” he encouraged, seeing the corners of her mouth tilt up at those words. His fingers were already pumping in and out of her, feeling her tight pussy clench around them. He leaned down to start kissing her breasts, feeling her grip onto his hair as he did. “They’re so sexy, Clarke. I love your breasts so much, baby,” he whispered, feeling her clit twitch at his words.

He ran his tongue across her nipple, flicking it lightly as he glanced up at her. Her head was tilted back, her eyes gently closed. His mouth latched onto her nipple, sucking immediately, as he let his thumb gently graze her clit.

“Fuck, Bell,” she whimpered, voice sounding strangled. He let go of her nipple with a loud pop, admiring how much it had hardened for him.

“Is this all you needed, sweetheart?” he asked, before thrusting his fingers even faster. Clarke swallowed before shaking her head. “Tell me what you need, Clarke.”

“Your cock,” she said breathlessly, and Bellamy practically came from the desperation in her voice.

He pulled his fingers out, hearing her whimper at the loss of contact. He studied her closely as he lined himself up with her entrance. She was gazing at him so lustfully, and Bellamy wondered how many more moments like this he was going to have with Clarke.

He thrust into her quickly, swallowing as he tried to shake that thought away. But as he leaned down over her, capturing her lips with his as he slowly thrust in and out of her, it snuck back in his head. Lately, Bellamy had tried to limit how much he was with Clarke, since even kissing her made him feel guilty. But, he needed to enjoy the few times he was with her like this before everything came crashing down.

Clarke clung to his back tightly, as her tongue dove into his mouth, searching for his. And Bellamy realized that the memory of moments like this would never be enough for him. He would spend the rest of his life longing for the feel of Clarke. He needed to savor her sweet sighs, the way she begged for more, the tender way she would cup his face afterwards.

“I love you so much, Clarke,” Bellamy whispered between thrusts, before crashing his lips back into hers. Clarke pulled him even tighter, as he kissed down her neck.

“Love you too, Bell. So much,” she said breathlessly as Bellamy bit her just below her jaw.

He slowed his pace more, as he lifted his head to look at her, with a serious expression on his face. “Clarke, you’re everything to me, okay?” he said, because he needed her to know that and to believe that. She needed to have no doubt in her mind that he was madly in love with her so she would understand how much it was killing him to have used her like this.

He searched her eyes to see if she could even understand what he meant, but found nothing. But, Bellamy said all kinds of things during sex, so she probably just blew this off. She crashed her lips back into his, raising her hips slightly to meet him. He moaned loudly into her mouth, before picking up the pace again, now slamming his hips into hers.

Her nails clawed into his skin as she erupted onto his cock. Her head was thrown back, eyes resting shut, as she said his name over and over again, like a prayer.

Her legs were still shaking by the time Bellamy came undone inside her, as he murmured that he loved her over and over again into her neck.

Bellamy played with her hair as they both caught their breath. Her cheek was pressed against his chest. Her legs were tangled with his. And, Bellamy was so happy. He only wished he could live in this moment forever.

“Do you want to talk about what happened?” Bellamy finally asked, hearing Clarke let out a breath.

“When I was in college, I had a girlfriend that I loved a lot. But, my mom caught wind of it and paid the girl half a million dollars to leave me,” Clarke explained, and Bellamy didn’t really expect the rumor Echo was spreading to be that true. “Then, today, she invited her to my wedding shower to make me doubt my decision to marry you.”

“Did it work?” Bellamy teased, and Clarke playfully hit his chest. “Okay, but in all seriousness, did seeing her again upset you?”

“That wasn’t what upset me. I’ve been over the Lexa thing for years. And the girlfriend that came after her,” Clarke muttered, and Bellamy’s stomach tied itself in a knot, realizing that Abby Griffin had done this multiple times to Clarke. “It’s that my mother doesn’t care how much she messes with my head if it means she gets what she wants.”

Bellamy swallowed, glancing down at Clarke. She didn’t look like she was going to cry again. In fact, she looked remarkably at peace.

“My dad wouldn’t have let her treat me like this,” she whispered, and Bellamy pulled her even closer before kissing her forehead.

“I’m sorry, Clarke,” Bellamy replied, tilting her head up to look at him. Clarke pulled him down to kiss her lips, and Bellamy practically whimpered at the feel of her soft lips caressing his.

 

“Every news station has picked up this story!” Octavia shouted, turning the volume up on his office tv. He smirked at the headline: _The Griffin Global Battle Royale._

He pulled the feed up on his screen, watching Abby Griffin and Thelonious Jaha repeatedly call each news station, screaming at them and threatening to sue for libel.

“Novelist Diana Sydney, who has always been close to the Griffin household, broke the story in this morning’s paper,” the announcer explained as the tv screen flashed through photos of Clarke and Abby throughout the years. “Apparently, the late Jake Griffin dictated that Clarke Griffin could take over the family business once she was married, but Abby Griffin is fighting tooth and nail to keep her out of Griffin Global.”

“Yes, a board member for Griffin Global just confirmed that Abby Griffin had approached him about the vote, arguing that Clarke Griffin is a morally questionable candidate with little experience,” the reporter the announcer was talking to explained.

“Which, in of itself, is bizarre to hear,” the announcer interrupted, as the photos shifted to being exclusively of Clarke at her dozens of charity functions. “Clarke Griffin was at the top of her class in both high school and college, not to mention her pristine record when it comes to her charity work. While she may be lacking in experience, she has many close advisors who will help ease the transition, such as her step-father, Thelonious Jaha. Many have been excited about the prospect of Abby Griffin stepping down so Clarke could take over.”

Bellamy glanced back at his laptop, now seeing Abby and Thelonious screaming at each other inside his study.

“One of my sources referred to Abby Griffin as a ruthless dictator, who clearly cares less about her own family than keeping herself in power.”

Bellamy turned the tv off, smirking at Octavia.

“We’re so close, I can taste it,” Bellamy said with a huge grin, before cranking up the volume on his laptop.

“No, we’re having a press conference,” Jaha yelled, slamming his fist on his desk. “Stock for both Griffin Global and The Ark will plummet if investors think there is infighting. You lost, Abigail!”

“I am not just going to step down as CEO because Diana Sydney decided to come after us,” Abby screamed, as Jaha bit his own hand in frustration.

“No, you are going to tell the whole world that you are thrilled about your daughter’s wedding and that you’ve only been saving her place at Griffin Global. That you hope to ease the transition by supporting your daughter in her first few years. “

“You can’t make me do that, Thelonious. Griffin Global is mine, not yours.”

“Fine, sit back and do nothing. Meanwhile, I’m going to put my considerable talents to unearthing all the hell I possibly can for you, burying you in scandal. Then, once Clarke has safely taken Griffin Global from you, I will divorce you, leaving you with nothing but a daughter who loathes you,” he growled, and Abby flinched at those words, her jaw dropping slightly.

“You did good, brother,” Octavia said with a huge grin.

“So, not only have I made Diana Sydney an enemy of Jaha and Abby, but I also have them back at each other’s throats,” he said with a smirk, leaning back in his chair.

“The way he just threatened her… Abby won’t bat an eye at trading information on his involvement for a reduced sentence,” Octavia said excitedly, throwing her arms around Bellamy’s neck.

“This is really happening,” Bellamy said, hardly believing it himself.

“Mom would be proud of you,” Octavia said seriously, and Bellamy felt a tear escape his eye.

“She’d be proud of you too, O.”


	11. Union

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE IS THE WEDDING CHAPTER 
> 
> I'm so nervous about this one guys, so please tell me what you think.

Bellamy Blake didn’t know the first thing about marriage. In fact, he didn’t know a single person who was in a happy one. His mother was unmarried, and the couples who took him in during his years of foster care were far from being picture perfect. The only other couple he knew intimately well were Thelonious Jaha and Abby Griffin, who only threatened each other more and more as the wedding approached.

Even now, at the rehearsal dinner, the two of them seemed to be furious with each other. He wondered how two people who shared that much of their lives could loathe each other at this level.

“And Wells, who will be coming with you to the wedding?” one of Jaha’s friends asked. Clarke gripped Bellamy’s leg under the table, and he put his hand over hers, trying to relax her.

“My boyfriend, Roan,” Wells answered, looking right at Jaha as he spoke. Jaha choked on his wine, and Bellamy saw Abby smirk into her own drink before taking a sip.

“I didn’t know Roan was back in town,” Jaha recovered, delivering a pointed glare in Wells’ direction.

“Oh, I insisted on him attending,” Clarke jumped in, which made Bellamy nervous. He put his arm around her waist as she leaned forward, his protective instinct kicking in. Jaha swallowed, turning his face in Clarke’s direction.

“How thoughtful,” he muttered, looking Clarke up and down.

“And Roan is a friend of mine from college. I wanted him to be here,” Bellamy jumped in, which seemed to diffuse the situation a bit. Bellamy knew the stress of the wedding had been getting to Clarke. She insisted on staying at the house until they were actually married, but, as he had been seeing over the feeds, that was not the best decision. Abby was constantly trying to provoke Clarke into saying she was only marrying him so she could get Griffin Global. Jaha and Clarke kept having power struggles, meanwhile still working together when it came to dealing with Abby. He could tell Clarke was relieved the wedding was finally here, if only because all of that could quickly be behind her.

Bellamy had to take several deep breaths during the dinner, trying not to get bogged down by the passive aggression.

“This time tomorrow, all this nonsense will be over,” Clarke whispered into his ear, and Bellamy pulled her closer, chuckling to himself. Then, Bellamy caught Dax staring intensely at him, which caught him off guard. This wasn’t the first time he had seen Dax glaring at him, and he knew for a fact that Abby had gotten Dax to dig up a lot of information about him. But, he had no idea what Dax was up to now. Bellamy glanced over at Marcus, who was seated next to Abby. Marcus seemed to make the same observation Bellamy did, scrunching his face slightly.

“How long has Dax worked for your parents?” Bellamy whispered, and Clarke cocked her head to the side.

“Too long,” she muttered. “Look, I get a bad vibe from him. I’d steer clear of him, if I were you,” Clarke warned, and Bellamy nodded, making the same decision for himself.

“Okay, but he keeps glaring at me,” Bellamy replied, and Clarke’s head snapped up, examining Dax, who was now looking away. Clarke then looked at her mother, and her jaw clenched.

“I would have thought after that Diana Sydney article she would have stopped this by now,” Clarke practically growled, and Bellamy gripped her hand quickly, feeling her tense up. “She has him trailing you.”

Bellamy swallowed, thinking back to his past week. He hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, which was good if Dax had been trailing him. Since he and his friends were just waiting for Clarke to become CEO, he had nothing shady to be doing in the meantime.

“Don’t confront her about it. You don’t want to be fighting with your mother the night before our wedding,” Bellamy said, rubbing his hand up and down Clarke’s arm. She let out a disappointed sigh, before resting her head on his shoulder.

The rest of the evening went pretty well, with the exception of the guilty feeling Bellamy had in his chest every time someone stood up to deliver a toast. Although, Marcus almost made Bellamy cry. And Octavia succeeded in making him cry.

Then, he had to say goodbye to Clarke.

“You’ll see me tomorrow. I’ll be the one in white,” she teased, poking his chest. Bellamy leaned down and pressed a slow kiss to her lips, memorizing everything about this moment. Clarke looked so happy as she looked up at him, excited to be with him. And, God, Bellamy wished this was real.

“Come on, Clarke. We have stuff we need to do tonight,” Echo said, crossing her arms. Clarke shot Bellamy an apologetic pout, before kissing his cheek. Then, Echo tugged her away, and Bellamy couldn’t take his eyes off her until she was out of sight.

“You know, I wasn’t even gone that long,” Bellamy heard someone say behind him, causing him to jump. He turned to see Wells walking slowly over to him. “You two are certainly diving in head first.”

“What can I say? We’re crazy about each other,” Bellamy shrugged, as Wells looked him up and down. Now, Bellamy was confused. He had gained Wells’ approval from day one. In fact, Wells sort of set the two of them up all those months ago. But, here… Wells looked just as skeptical as Abby.

“Clarke isn’t this kind of person, Bellamy,” Wells said, before pressing his lips together. If Bellamy didn’t know better, he would think this was the over protective brother speech.

“Wells, I love her,” he reassured.

“No, you don’t understand. Clarke isn’t a spontaneous person. She likes to plan. You two throwing together a wedding in a month after barely knowing each other is just not like Clarke,” Wells said, furrowing his brows.

“What are you saying?”

“That one or both of you are up to something,” Wells smirked, tilting his head slightly. “And I’m sticking around so I can figure out what that is.” Then, Wells turned around to head back inside.

“I’m happy you’re back. Clarke and I have missed you,” he shouted, causing Wells to turn around.

“Hurt her, and I swear…” Wells said.

“I know the speech. You’ll make me disappear,” Bellamy said with a smirk, putting his hands in his pockets.

“No, I won’t. Clarke will. And, trust me, she’s the most terrifying of all of us,” Wells teased, and Bellamy swallowed. He didn’t need to be reminded of that. Clarke was easily the scariest person he’s ever known.

 

“I miss you already,” Clarke whispered into the phone, and Bellamy felt the corners of his mouth start to tilt up. Then, Octavia burst into his room, gesturing for Bellamy to follow her.

“I miss you too, princess,” Bellamy replied, tiptoeing behind Octavia through his living room. Then, she pointed at the window. Bellamy narrowed his eyes, trying to see what Octavia saw.

“Tell me again why I have to sleep alone in my bed tonight,” she whined, and Bellamy finally saw it. Dax was sitting in his car outside Bellamy’s house. His eyes flickered to Octavia in a panic, before he closed the curtains.

“Because traditions. Hold on Clarke, I gotta call you back,” he said, before hanging up. “What the fuck is he doing out there?” Bellamy shouted, and Octavia started dialing.

“We’re calling the cops,” she muttered, before Bellamy snatched the phone out of her hands.

“That’s not necessary. Look, Abby is just looking for some dirt to provoke Clarke into calling off the wedding. Let him stalk me. That’ll just prove that I’m not up to anything.”

“I mean, you are up to something,” Octavia pointed out, and Bellamy started groaning.

“And if this were months ago, they would find me doing some shady shit. But, I’m not currently acting suspicious,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Are you going to be able to go through with this?” Octavia asked, crossing over toward him.

“Of course,” Bellamy blew her off, starting to move toward his bedroom. Octavia grabbed his wrist, pulling him back. “Look, the damage is done either way. There’s no point in turning back now.”

“Bell.”

“I was never supposed to have this,” Bellamy snapped, causing Octavia to jump back. “I’m sorry. It’s just, I never expected to get married or to have all these people welcome me into their family, regardless of how fucked up they all are. But, my feelings in this are irrelevant. So, the plan will stay on course,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Your feelings aren’t irrelevant, Bellamy,” Octavia said sternly, and Bellamy broke at those words. He threw himself into his sister’s embrace, sobbing into her shoulder. “I don’t know if I would be strong enough to do what you’re doing.”

“To break someone’s heart?” he mumbled against her shirt.

“To sacrifice what you have for the greater good,” Octavia corrected. Bellamy yanked himself away, wiping the tears off his face.

“There had to have been another way,” he snapped, before storming back into his bedroom. Octavia didn’t follow after him, probably knowing better by now. He forced himself to take another deep breath, trying to get his thoughts back in order.

He had more than enough time to prepare for tomorrow. He should be prepared by now. But, he felt just as lost and hopeless as he did all those years ago when he was just a ten-year-old meeting with his social worker for the first time. He wondered what his mother would think of what he was doing to avenge her. If she would still be proud, knowing that Clarke would still be a casualty.

 

“That is really nice,” Monty observed with raised eyebrows, examining Bellamy’s new watch.

“One of Clarke’s wedding presents to me,” he explained before swallowing. Bellamy was completely dressed now, just killing time before the wedding.

“Are we not going to talk about the fact that Monty brought a date to your wedding?” Jasper teased, nudging Monty in the side. Bellamy raised an eyebrow, since this was the first he heard of it.

“Okay, it wasn’t my idea. Clarke just suggested that Harper and I go together,” Monty blushed, before punching Jasper in the shoulder.

“Clarke set you up,” Bellamy teased, and Monty started groaning. Bellamy had momentarily forgotten how child-like Monty and Jasper were together, probably because they were all dressed up in their tuxes. They briefly fooled Bellamy into thinking they were mature.

“Now, if only she could help me out,” Marcus said with a smirk as he closed the door behind him.

“Might be hard, since she knows you used to bang her mom,” Jasper said quickly, and Marcus looked genuinely embarrassed.

“That’s what you get for keeping secrets from us,” Bellamy said with a smug grin, and Marcus rolled his eyes. The guys bantered a bit more, as Bellamy glanced at his appearance in the mirror again. Everything just felt so real all the sudden, and he was getting jittery. He got ready too quickly, and now he had nothing to keep him distracted from what he’s about to do.

“Breathe,” Marcus whispered, putting his hand on Bellamy’s shoulder. “It’s just a little while longer, and then we can all live honestly again.”

“I know,” Bellamy muttered, looking down at his feet.

“She loves you, Bellamy. If you fight for her, I think she’ll eventually forgive you,” he said, and Bellamy couldn’t tell if he was just trying to make him feel better or not. He had no delusions about Clarke forgiving him.

“Well, we shall see, I suppose,” Bellamy replied, and then, Octavia burst into the room, fully dressed in her dark red bridesmaid dress.

“Bell, Clarke wants to talk to you,” she said, and Bellamy furrowed his brows, stepping toward Octavia.

“Is everything okay?” he asked frantically.

“She’s nervous,” Octavia said with a sigh, and Bellamy let out a breath.

“Well, that’s normal. It’s her wedding day,” Marcus reassured.

“No, I mean this is cold feet kind of nervous,” Octavia said, and that was all it took for Bellamy to storm out of the room. Octavia jogged after him, directing him to where Clarke was.

“How long do we have?” Bellamy asked, as Octavia pulled out her phone.

“About ten minutes,” she said, before patting Bellamy on the shoulder. He took a deep breath before knocking on Clarke’s door.

“Clarke, it’s me,” he announced, and Clarke immediately opened it. Bellamy clenched his eyes shut, remembering to follow along with these superstitions.

“Bell, what are you doing?” Clarke asked, as she tugged him in. But, Bellamy kept his hand securely over his eyes as he walked into her dressing room.

“Bad luck to see the bride before the wedding. Are we alone?” he asked.

“Yes,” Clarke said, and he heard the door close behind him. “Bell, please look at me,” she pleaded, tugging his hand down.

“Clarke, I—” he tried to interrupt, but it was too late. He already saw her. And even with her brows nervously furrowed at him, she was absolutely stunning. Her hair was pulled back out of her face, but still curly, which he loved. She looked as flawless as ever, probably the most beautiful bride he had ever seen. “Clarke, what’s wrong?” he asked, cupping her face. She was worrying her lip, eyes downcast. He stroked her cheek as he stepped toward her, careful not to step on her dress.

“This just happened so fast. We only just met. What are we doing, Bell?” she asked frantically, tears threatening to pour out of her eyes.

“Hey, everything is okay,” he reassured in the sweetest voice he could muster. He stroked her cheek with his thumb as he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “Yeah, this happened quicker than either of us expected,” he started, also overwhelmed by how quickly everything came together. In his defense, he would have waited a year for this. It was Jaha who pushed for the wedding to speed up.

… Which, now that Bellamy thought about it, was quite worrisome. His original argument for pushing up the wedding was so that Wells could attend… But, Wells just told Bellamy that he was staying in town after the wedding. Bellamy blinked a few times, decided to put a pin in that for later. That one could wait until after the wedding.

“But, I love you, and you love me. And that’s all that really matters,” Bellamy continued, but Clarke wasn’t calming down.

“It’s not just that. This whole wedding doesn’t even feel like us,” she muttered, and she had a point there. It felt like a PR project handed to them by Thelonious Jaha… which, it kind of was. There were more representatives from the media at this wedding than there were actual guests. “You know, we could just take off right now. Go somewhere just the two of us, leave all this Arkadian nonsense behind us,” she pleaded, gripping both of his hands in hers.

“Clarke, you don’t mean that. Your life is here, your family is here.”

“No, I do. Wells is the only family I care about anyways, and he’d visit us wherever we go,” Clarke said excitedly, her eyes boring into his. “If we left now, we could be getting married in Italy by tomorrow morning, just the two of us. No press, no Thelonious or my mom… just you and me.”

Bellamy could feel his own resolve shattering at those words. The words slipping off her lips sounded so tempting, so beautiful. And Bellamy had no doubt in his mind that in a normal world, that would be his dream.

But, he couldn’t just drop everything and leave. He needed to go through with today. He needed to do this so he could finally bring Jaha down for his mother’s murder. So that he could avenge the deaths of 382 people who were just trying to go to work that horrible day. So that Jasper could finally move on from Maya’s murder, knowing that the people who arranged it were behind bars. So that everything wrong that had been done to him and his friends could be righted once and for all.

“Clarke, this is how it’s meant to be. Ignore your parents… I could care less about them being here. But, there are a lot of people here who love you and want to see us get married. Wells, Echo, Harper… even Marcus,” he explained, pushing a few stray hairs of hers behind her ear. “And my loved ones are here too. Things aren’t easy here, sure. But, don’t you want to start our lives surrounded by the people who love us?”

Clarke blinked a few times, looking up at Bellamy. For a brief second, she looked heartbroken that he wasn’t willing to run off with her. But, he saw the wheels turn in her head as she processed this, and she quickly snapped out of it.

“Okay,” she said, nodding slightly as she recomposed herself.

“Hey,” Bellamy said, tilting her chin up to look at him with his hand. “Everything is going to be fine,” he reassured, before leaning down and kissing her. She resisted at first, a bit surprised by the contact. But, she quickly melted into him, and it felt like the very first time they kissed.

 

“I take it the wedding is still on,” Echo said as soon as Bellamy shut Clarke’s door. He blinked a few times, startled to see Echo standing guard by the door.

“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” he asked, tilting his head slightly. He didn’t care what Monty said, he was still convinced Echo was up to something.

“Just find it interesting you didn’t want to run off with her,” she said, looking Bellamy up and down. Then, she shrugged before walking into Clarke’s dressing room.

Bellamy let out a sigh before going to find the guys. But, he found Dax standing outside his dressing room door.

“Is something wrong?” Bellamy asked, looking Dax up and down.

“Of course not. But, it’s about time for your wedding to start,” he said, almost ominously, and Bellamy started to feel sick to his stomach at the thought of actually going through with this. Bellamy stepped around Dax to walk into his room, trying to shake this weird feeling out of his system.

Marcus was the only one left in the room, pacing nervously.

“I thought you said I had nothing to be nervous about?” Bellamy teased, closing the door behind him.

“Have you noticed that Jaha has been extra smug lately?” Marcus asked, tilting his head slightly. Bellamy swallowed, remembering that Dax was just outside his door. He motioned for Marcus to walk with him over toward the window, as far away from the door as they could get. “It looks an awful lot like him getting his way,” Marcus whispered, and Bellamy let out a huff.

“It could just be that he’s enjoying how much this is bothering Abby,” Bellamy shrugged. “And, Abby is having me watched like a hawk.”

“Okay, well you just focus on getting down that aisle. I’ll keep my ear to the ground,” Marcus said, patting Bellamy on the shoulder. “And, I know this isn’t happening how you would like it to, but I know your mother would have been proud of you,” he reassured, and he had no idea how much those words meant to Bellamy. Especially today.

 

The ceremony was delayed for fifteen minutes. And, he knew it was fifteen minutes because of the watch Clarke gave him. For fifteen minutes, Bellamy stood by the priest in complete and utter panic as he waited for Clarke. He shouldn’t be surprised at how Abby Griffin jumped at the opportunity to go back there and talk to Clarke. He just prayed she didn’t say something that would undo what Bellamy just said to her. But, after fifteen long minutes, Clarke calmed down enough to walk down the aisle.

Bellamy was so relieved to see her that he thought he would melt right there. She looked happy, as Wells escorted her down the aisle. Bellamy gave Clarke a once over, realizing that he hadn’t even bothered to really look at her dress when he saw her earlier. It was the most “princess” she had ever looked, in her white ballgown adorned in lace. Her shoulders were bare, and she was wearing the necklace Bellamy had given her as a wedding present.

He must have been grinning like an idiot by the time she made it up to him, as Wells pressed a kiss to Clarke’s cheek before sitting down beside Roan.

It wasn’t until Bellamy took Clarke’s hands that he noticed they were shaking slightly. He shot her a concerned look as the priest began speaking, trying to look for any sign that she was going to bolt. But, as the priest continued to recite the poem Clarke picked out for the ceremony, he could see Clarke calm herself down.

He wasn’t sure what was wrong with her… what caused such a panicked reaction. Not once in their wedding preparation had Clarke shown any doubt. And then, all the sudden, she freaks out on the big day. He ran his thumbs across the tops of her hands, trying to reassure her.

Bellamy noticed the priest left out the whole “is anyone has reason for these two to not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace” part. He imagined that was Clarke’s doing, even though he had said he was fine with leaving that in there. He knew that Abby Griffin wouldn’t dare make a scene with this many witnesses.

Then, the vows started.

“I, Bellamy Blake, take you, Clarke Griffin, to be my wife, to respect you in your successes and in your failures,” he started, repeating after the priest. He kept his eyes trained on Clarke, watching her eyes bore into his as he spoke. “To care for you in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.” And, even though Bellamy had done his fair share of lying to Clarke, he meant every word of that.

The guilt started to grow in his chest again as Clarke recited her vows. Somehow, he had forgotten again why he was actually marrying her. Things were too blurry for him to tell what was real and what wasn’t, and maybe that’s what Clarke was sensing to make her panic so much before the ceremony.

Bellamy couldn’t get the guilt out of his head as he slid the ring on Clarke’s finger, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was so lost in his thoughts that the only snapped out of it when the priest said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

Bellamy quickly cupped Clarke’s face, before pulling her in for a tender kiss, feeling her lips melt into his. He could hear the cheering of the room distantly, but it was nowhere near as loud as the sound of his own heart beating itself out of his chest.

 

Clarke had been remarkably quiet during most of the reception, which Bellamy was surprised by. He half expected some witty retorts to some of the bullshit things coming out of Jaha as he toasted them, but she stayed silent, keeping Bellamy’s hand intertwined with hers.

As Bellamy took her out onto the dance floor again, he had flashbacks to their first dance. “Thank you for letting me lead this time,” he teased, and Clarke chuckled slightly.

“Don’t think I don’t know about you practicing with Jasper,” she said with a smug grin, and Bellamy bit his lip, feeling embarrassment flash through his face.

“Please don’t tell anyone. I’ll never live that down,” he begged, before kissing Clarke’s cheek.

“Mind if I cut in?” he heard someone ask, as Bellamy turned around to see Jaha standing there with a smug look on his face. Clarke shot Bellamy a warning look before pulling away. Bellamy nodded, before stepping off the dance floor.

He glanced around the room, wondering where Marcus had been. Of course, Bellamy spotted Dax first, who had his eyes trained on him. He thought that would end once the wedding was done. He let out a groan, walking back toward his table.

Then, he saw Marcus powerwalking over to him from the other side of the room with a panicked look on his face. “We have a problem,” Marcus grunted, before pulling Bellamy toward the corner of the room. Bellamy glanced around, seeing Monty and Jasper preoccupied, and Octavia on the dance floor with Lincoln.

“What’s wrong? I thought we were good now. We got through the wedding,” Bellamy said frantically, trying to make sense of Marcus’ scowl.

“We should have known. This was too easy,” Marcus muttered, shaking his head. “We should have watched Jaha more closely.”

Bellamy glanced up immediately, seeing Jaha’s mouth moving as he danced with Clarke. As they rotated around, Bellamy saw a furious look on Clarke’s face, and his blood went ice cold.

“Jaha was too eager to let Clarke take Griffin Global. It’s because she was never going to get it,” Marcus said, and Bellamy felt like he was going to throw up. He just put Clarke through this for nothing. “Apparently, The Ark’s founder, Jaha’s father, was the original investor in Griffin Global.”

“What does that mean?” Bellamy asked frantically.

“Jaha revealed this fact to his board members this week, which means by the time Clarke becomes CEO, Griffin Global will be a subsidiary of The Ark,” Marcus explained, and Bellamy kept his eyes fixed on Clarke, who looked just as uneasy as she did this morning. “Jaha will make it so CEO is just a title if he even keeps Clarke on board.”

“So, even if she gets it, she won’t have access to what we need her to find,” Bellamy connected the dots.

“Jaha will be able to bury any evidence of Mt. Weather before Clarke gets her employee ID.”

 

The rest of the reception went by in a fog, as Marcus explained to the others what had happened. Clarke did her best to force a smile, giving the illusion of everything being fine. He didn’t push her, because he knew exactly what was on her mind. Sure, it was their wedding day and they should both be happy, but Clarke did just lose something very important to her.

And, Bellamy’s plan went up in smoke. It wasn’t just any plan, either. It was the grand solution. It was the bloodless method to put an end to all of this, once and for all. He believed that if he made it this far, he would be able to get all the evidence in the world to bury Abby Griffin, and, in turn, Thelonious Jaha. Things were going to be right in the world again. And that plan was ruined.

Bellamy had lied for this plan. He had strung Clarke along in this deceit, promising her the world while simultaneously working tirelessly to destroy her mother’s life. He had told Clarke he loved her long before it was true. And every time she said it back, Bellamy wondered if she would mean that if she knew what a monster he was.

He hardly batted an eye when Clarke said she would meet him back home because she needed to go Jaha’s house to talk to him. He knew she had every right to blow up at him, and that he’d hear all about it when Clarke got back.

Bellamy sighed as he wandered back into his dressing room, grabbing the rest of his stuff. Then, he saw a note on top of his clothes from the morning.

_I saw your face when you got the news about Griffin Global. I have the evidence you’re looking for._

Bellamy blinked a few times, noting the strange address this mystery person left him. Bellamy immediately called Marcus, but it went straight to voicemail. He knew calling Jasper or Monty was a waste of his time, since they both got trashed after Marcus told them what happened. He dialed Octavia, but she didn’t answer either.

He knew it was probably stupid to show up to this location. But, Bellamy had very little to lose at this point. He was now completely ensnared in the Griffin-Jaha household with no escape and nothing to show for it.

So, he got changed and took off, his heart pounding as he approached an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. He got out of his car quietly, noticing that there were no other cars nearby.

He walked inside, per the instructions of whoever left the note. He noticed the lights were already on, which meant whoever it was probably was nearby, waiting for him.

It had been a long time since Bellamy had done something like this, at least half a decade. Last time, it led him to Maya Vie, who was just looking for someone to do something with the research she had done. He remembered the moment fondly, as Bellamy had been panicked that it was a trap, only to find a shaking girl holding a folder of research. God, he missed her.

As Bellamy scanned the room, not even shutting the door behind him, he couldn’t see any evidence of anyone being there. He swallowed, keeping his hand on his gun.

Then, all at once, he felt it: a muscled arm encircling his neck, pushing him down to the ground. His attacker knocked the gun out of his hand, slowly squeezing his throat tighter and tighter. Bellamy tried to hit the mystery man back, to regain some kind of leverage in this situation, just like Marcus taught him.

But, his sight was going blurry, and he could feel his entire body giving up on him. He glanced to the side frantically, trying to get a glimpse of his attacker. Bellamy at least deserved to know who was going to kill him before he died.

“You just don’t want to die, do you?” he heard a familiar voice say. Bellamy tried to push back, tried to pry Dax’s hands off this throat. He kicked, he fought with everything he could, but he just wasn’t getting enough oxygen.

Then, a terrifying sound cracked through the air, echoing in Bellamy’s ears: a gunshot.

He immediately felt the hands loosen around his neck. Bellamy sucked in a desperate breath, closing his eyes as he felt Dax fall off him. Bellamy was hyperventilating as he sat up, seeing a bullet hole in Dax’s head.

Bellamy was so absorbed in trying to get his nerves under control at that sight, that he didn’t hear the footsteps approach him. He forced himself to take deep breaths, closing his eyes to reassure himself, just like Marcus would tell him to do when he would start to panic. The pain in his neck started to subside, as he gathered his thoughts together.

Dax lured Bellamy there to try and kill him. Clearly, Abby was going to do whatever it took to get rid of Bellamy. He should have known better. These people were capable of just about anything. But, who shot Dax? Bellamy took another deep breath before opening his eyes.

The first thing he saw was blonde. He swallowed, as her blue eyes came into sight, and he let out a sigh of relief.

“Clarke,” he whispered, as Clarke studied his neck closely, her fingers just ghosting over where Dax had been pressing down.

“Are you breathing alright?” she asked, brows furrowed as she kept examining him.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he reassured, but he had a million questions for her. How did she find him? How did she know he was in trouble? When did she become such a good shot?

“Do you feel yourself panicking?” she asked, now studying his face with a great deal of concern.

“No, I’m fine. My breathing is under control now,” he explained. She tilted her head slightly, still studying him closely. For a moment, she looked like she had actually gone to med school.

“You sure? It’s okay if you’re in shock,” she said.

“Clarke, I’m fine. Thanks to you,” he said, grabbing her hand. But, she quickly pulled it out of his clasp.

“That’s good,” she muttered, glancing over at Dax, then back to Bellamy. The concerned look on her face had melted away. It was replaced by an almost angry glare, like the one on her face when she realized what Jaha had done. She gave him another once over, and Bellamy couldn’t understand why Clarke looked so murderous. Dax was dead.

Then, he felt her palm rip across his face without warning, hearing the sound before he ever felt the pain. He rubbed his cheek furiously, eyes wide as he glanced back at Clarke, wondering what the hell that was for.

Then, he realized the murderous gaze was meant for him. Her eyes didn’t leave his, as they burned with a heat he had only seen directed at Jaha and Abby.

_She knew._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theories? I know you guys have several.


	12. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh! I loved the comments from last chapter so much! I'm glad you guys are as excited as I am!

“Head or feet?” Clarke snapped, raising an eyebrow at him.

Bellamy’s jaw was still slightly dropped as he tried to make sense of his recent revelation. His body was frozen, as he watched Clarke pull the phone and wallet out of Dax’s pocket, like this was normal for her.

“Clarke,” Bellamy whispered, staring at her as she walked around Dax’s body, going through his phone.

“What?” she mumbled, not even looking up at him.

“Look, I need to explain—”

“Bellamy, head or feet? I’m not going to ask you again,” she growled, before putting the phone and wallet into her pockets. He tilted his head in confusion, not understanding the question. She had to have a million questions for Bellamy, but it was like she was actively ignoring what was going on here.

Bellamy blinked a few times, before looking down at Dax. He was genuinely terrified of how good of a shot Clarke was, since with how Dax had been intertwined with Bellamy, it was far from being an easy shot… yet she managed to lodge the bullet right in his skull.

“We have a body we need to deal with, Bellamy. So, do you want to carry the head or the feet?” she snapped, and Bellamy slammed his mouth shut. His body was tense, waiting for Clarke to unleash whatever hellish anger she had pent up for him. But, of course, Clarke was all business at the moment, which meant his reckoning would have to wait.

“Feet,” he mumbled, moving toward Dax’s feet. He pulled his gloves out of his pocket, putting them on as he studied Clarke carefully. Her lips were pressed tightly together as she pulled Dax’s phone back out, scrolling through it with a strange look in her eyes.

“Don’t forget your gun,” Clarke reminded, gesturing her head in its direction without looking up. Bellamy swallowed, shaking his head in disbelief as he walked over to pick it up.

He walked back over, picking up Dax’s feet and helping Clarke take him outside. It had been a long time since Bellamy had done this, and he was usually alone as he did. He kept glancing at Clarke, hoping she would betray some kind of emotion. But, she was stoic. In fact, the only signs he had for how pissed she was were the aggressive undertones in her voice.

When, they dropped him on the ground, Clarke popped open the trunk of her car. Bellamy looked around, not seeing any sign of civilization for miles. This really was the perfect location for Dax to finish him off.

As Bellamy helped get Dax into her trunk, he saw two shovels already in the trunk.

“Clarke, why are there two shovels in your car?” Bellamy barked, eyes widening at her.

Clarke shut her trunk with a nice slam, not even looking at Bellamy. “This isn’t my car,” she said with shrug before heading over to the driver’s side.

“That does not answer my question, Clarke!” Bellamy yelled, moving toward the passenger side. Clarke was starting the car as he slid in, his eyes wide as he looked Clarke up and down. “Were you planning on burying a body tonight?”

“Like I said, this isn’t my car,” she muttered, pulling into reverse. Bellamy looked around, realizing that was true.

“Whose car is this?” he asked, looking around for clues. But, it wasn’t nice enough to be anyone in her family’s car.

“Echo’s.”

“Why the fuck does Echo have two shovels in her trunk?” Bellamy snapped, wondering if he had been right about Echo all along. He knew she was up to something, but he didn’t think she would be this shady.

“Maybe she’s into gardening. I don’t know,” Clarke shrugged, and Bellamy let out a loud groan. Clarke was deliberately avoiding his questions, and her flippant attitude was starting to get on his nerves.

“People don’t just keep shovels in their trunk. That’s shady.”

“I don’t interrogate you about what you keep in your car,” Clarke teased, and Bellamy couldn’t understand how she could be joking at a time like this. It was like she didn’t even comprehend that they were on their way to bury a fucking body, that she just killed a man and that Bellamy almost died.

“I don’t have shovels in my car.”

“No, you have those educational Spanish CD’s buried in your glove box underneath an empty box of Oreos.”

“That’s not as shady as having shovels in the trunk, Clarke,” Bellamy snapped, but Clarke kept her eyes on the road, not reacting to his frustration.

“Well, you could be planning to hide out in Mexico after you’re finished with your business here,” Clarke said with a shrug.

“I’m not running off to Mexico!”

“Obviously not. You still don’t speak Spanish,” she smirked, and Bellamy banged his head into the headrest.

“Clarke!” he groaned, so incredibly frustrated by the fact that Clarke clearly knew about Bellamy, yet was saying nothing about it. She just resumed her business as usual mode, ignoring anything Bellamy tried to say.

“Yes, dear?” she asked with a bitterness to her voice that gave Bellamy chills. Then, she pulled off the main road and onto a dirt road.

“Where are we going?” he asked nervously.

“We’ve got to get rid of Dax somewhere,” Clarke muttered, before swerving the car and pulling in to park. Clarke jumped out of the car, but Bellamy found himself frozen, shaking his head. “Get out of the car!” Clarke shouted after opening the trunk. Bellamy swallowed, before opening his door. He felt shaky as he stepped out, like he could fall over at any moment. Clarke threw one of the shovels onto the ground by his feet, before brushing past him.

She started digging in silence, and Bellamy followed suit, his mind racing with confusion.

How much did Clarke know? And who tipped her off? Bellamy always imagined that Clarke wouldn’t figure it out until after Abby or Jaha was behind bars, and that he would have to break it all down for her so she knew how exactly it happened.

She clearly knew enough to come find him at that warehouse. Although, he still had no idea how she found him. He still didn’t know why Dax was trying to kill him. After all, Abby should have tried to kill Bellamy before the wedding. It didn’t make any sense for him to be murdered afterwards. The damage was already done at that point.

He kept stealing glances at Clarke as he dug, noticing her progressively get more and more angry with each dig into the ground. He swallowed, trying to think of the words he needed to say to explain why he did this to her.

“Clarke, talk to me,” he pleaded, giving his arms a rest from digging.

“What about?” she mumbled, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground as she kept digging.

“About what happened tonight.”

“He wanted you dead. I prefer you alive,” Clarke said, eyes snapping up to meet Bellamy’s. Bellamy’s lips parted slightly, wanting to correct her. He wasn’t referring to her shooting Dax, in fact, he didn’t question it. He would have done the same thing without hesitation if the roles had been reversed.

“Clarke, please,” he begged, feeling his entire face melt in desperation.

“Did you think I was stupid?” she said with a terrifying smile. “You did, didn’t you?”

“Of course not,” Bellamy said, stepping toward Clarke. She shot him a warning glare, and he stopped moving immediately.

“Keep digging,” she ordered, glancing at his shovel on the ground. Bellamy let out a huff, picking it up. “Did you really think I wouldn’t look into you? That the adopted son of Marcus Kane who set his sights on me wouldn’t set off any alarms in my head?”

The night Marcus showed up at her house flashed through his head. He remembered how confused Clarke looked to see him there, probably for the first time since Marcus tried to tell her the truth about Jaha and Abby. He remembered the borderline angry flash in her face as she studied Bellamy closely after finding out about his relationship with Marcus. And she disappeared quickly after that, only for him to find her on the phone talking to Alie.

 She didn’t just know. She had known, for a very long time.

“You had Alie look into me, didn’t you?” he asked, putting the pieces together. “What all did she tell you?”

Clarke blinked a few times, frowning slightly as she looked up at him. Then, she shook her head slightly, before resuming her digging. “Yes, I used Alie to find information on you. And I learned quite a bit.”

Bellamy let out a huff, following her lead to keep digging. They were getting close to it being deep enough, he estimated.

“I didn’t need to use Alie to tell me you were Aurora Blake’s son, though,” she muttered, and Bellamy glanced up at her, trying to get a read on her face as she said that.

“What else do you know about me?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“That as a teenager you burned down one of your foster homes, which, with the abuse allegations that followed, was justified,” she said, still digging, not looking at Bellamy. He swallowed, realizing that she had known that about him for months. “That Marcus technically only adopted Octavia, which I assume was because you couldn’t get custody of her with your record once you turned eighteen.”

Bellamy nodded, furrowing his brows as he started digging faster.

“That your mother’s alleged suicide was on the same day of my dad’s alleged car wreck,” she finished, and Bellamy swears his heart stopped beating. He glanced up at her, seeing her study his face closely.

“You know it wasn’t a suicide?” he asked breathlessly, hardly believing it since the only other people who thought that were in his own little team.

“I suspected. Now, I know,” she said, before resuming her digging. Bellamy didn’t know what to say to her. In a way, he was oddly relieved to know that she knew. But, at the same time, he didn’t understand why she played along.

And, while his thoughts had kept creeping back to wondering how he should explain to Clarke that he had genuine feelings for her, there was one thought he was purposefully avoiding. That Clarke might have been using him too.

“This is deep enough,” Clarke declared, before walking back to her car. Bellamy let out a breath, dropping the shovel to the ground before following after her. Bellamy was careful not to stand too close to Clarke as she opened the trunk.

He looked at Dax’s body again, and Bellamy couldn’t believe just how close he was to being in Dax’s position.

“How did you find me?” Bellamy asked, as Clarke picked up his arms.

“Not important,” she muttered as Bellamy grabbed his feet.

“I know you didn’t leave that note for me. So, how did you know I’d be at the warehouse?” he asked, and Clarke let out a frustrated groan, walking backwards as they carried Dax toward the grave they just dug. He studied her face closely, watching her jaw clench as she refused to speak. “Clarke, you owe me an explanation.”

Then, Clarke dropped Dax, now glaring at Bellamy. Bellamy set his feet down, tilting his head as he tried to make sense of Clarke’s sudden shift in behavior.

“I don’t owe you anything,” she growled.

“Clarke, that’s not what I—”

“You leaked my private therapy sessions for anyone to see,” Clarke growled, now stepping around Dax’s body toward Bellamy, in an almost predatory manner. “You’ve spied on me. What you pulled with Wallace got me kidnapped.”

“I didn’t realize that Cage would react like that,” Bellamy stuttered, taking a step backwards.

“Oh, well that makes it all better!” she yelled, and Bellamy swallowed. “And let’s not forget how much you’ve lied to me. You used me, you manipulated me, and you let me start to believe this was real.” Her eyes were wide as she looked Bellamy up and down. “So, shut up and help me throw Dax into the grave.”

“I am so sorry, Clarke,” Bellamy pleaded, but her back was already to him.

“I said shut up,” she snapped, picking up Dax’s arms. Bellamy reluctantly helped her move the body, biting his tongue so he didn’t say another word.

They filled the grave in silence, as Bellamy felt the exhaustion start to take over his body. He hardly slept the night before, and it had to be at least two in the morning by now.

“Where are we going now?” he asked, as Clarke threw the shovels in the trunk.

“Back to the warehouse. You need to get your car,” she said sternly, before shutting the trunk. She pulled out her phone, quirking her head to the side slightly. “Bellamy, who all has motive to kill you?”

“It’s a long list,” he said, and Clarke narrowed her eyes at him.

“How did Dax lure you out to the warehouse?”

“Uh, he left me this note,” Bellamy muttered, fishing it out of his back pocket and handing it over to Clarke. She pressed her lips together, reading the note carefully. “But, I’m pretty sure your mother sent him.”

“No, neither she nor Thelonious suspect you to be anything but an opportunist,” Clarke muttered, making sure to glare at Bellamy as she said it, handing the note back to him. “Besides, if my mother wanted you dead, she would have had him kill you before the wedding. And if Thelonious did, I wouldn’t have found you alive.”

Bellamy’s stomach dropped, as Clarke turned around to get in the driver’s seat. Bellamy walked around to his side, feeling goosebumps at how casually Clarke just said that. Once he shut the door behind him and pulled on his seatbelt, he studied Clarke carefully. She looked as exhausted as he felt.

“Dax works for your parents. Why would he kill me if they didn’t order him to?” he asked, confused.

“I’m working on that,” Clarke muttered, as she pulled in reverse. “But, my family doesn’t exactly attract honest or loyal people,” she snapped, and Bellamy couldn’t help but feel like that was directed at him. “He could have easily been bought by someone else. Hence why I want to know who all would want you dead.”

“Uh, Charles Pike, Dante Wallace, probably Diana Sydney,” he started to list, shaking his head slightly.

“Wallace still thinks that was all Thelonious, and Diana is too stupid to realize what you pulled with that phone call,” Clarke interrupted.

“Wait, how do you know about that phone call?” Bellamy asked nervously. There were lots of things that Clarke should have been able to piece together, but that wasn’t one of them. It wasn’t even something he planned. There was no way Clarke could know that Diana Sydney called him.

“I was testing a theory when I let her steal your number from my contacts. And, I couldn’t have planned for a better blow-up myself,” Clarke smirked, and Bellamy’s jaw dropped. “However, you didn’t really finish the job with Charles Pike, did you?”

“Uh, I think I did a decent job with him,” Bellamy stuttered, and Clarke rolled her eyes.

“You bankrupted him and ruined his career. I hardly think that’s fair punishment for profiting off the deaths of 382 people,” Clarke snapped.

“And now, his wife is leaving him and his kids have cut off contact. He has nothing,” Bellamy argued, offended that she claimed he didn’t go hard enough on Pike. She sounded just like Marcus.

“He has freedom,” she snapped again. “More importantly, he has the time and resources to figure out exactly how his life fell apart, you dumbass.”

“Are you saying that Charles Pike tried to have me killed?” he asked, even though it was the dumbest question to ever come out of his mouth. Of course, it wasn’t Pike. Monty and Jasper were monitoring him. He would have known if Pike was coming after him.

“I’m saying he could have. Or someone else you’ve pissed off. Anyone else you’ve tried to manipulate into marrying you lately?” she asked with a bitterness in her voice.

“Clarke, I’m sorry!” he yelled.

“What am I supposed to do with that apology?” she shouted, hitting her steering wheel as she spoke. Then, she pulled into the warehouse parking lot. Bellamy saw his car, but there was another one there. His blood went cold.

“Clarke, there’s someone else here.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Clarke blew him off, her voice still tense from yelling at him. She swerved into park, right next to the other car. Bellamy blinked a few times, recognizing it. It was Clarke’s car… but, it wasn’t here when they left.

Bellamy hesitantly stepped out, keeping his hand on his gun as he did. Clarke walked on over to her car, and Bellamy saw Echo step out.

“What is going on?” Bellamy asked, watching the two women exchange car keys.

“Ignore him,” Clarke muttered as she dug into her pockets.

“We couldn’t get anything on that phone number,” Echo said, and Clarke groaned.

“Fuck,” she muttered, handing Echo the wallet and phone she took from Dax.

“Eh, worst case scenario, you end up a widow,” Echo said with a smirk, giving Bellamy a once over.

“I am right here!” Bellamy snapped, and Clarke groaned again. “What the hell is Echo doing here?”

“He really isn’t that bright, is he?” Echo smirked.

“Well, he still can’t figure out how I found him,” Clarke shrugged, before moving over to her car door. “I’ll meet you at home, dear,” she snapped bitterly, before getting in her car. Bellamy blinked a few times, his lips parted as he tried to process this.

Then, Clarke pulled out of her parking spot, waving to Echo. Echo waved back, before giving Bellamy another once over.

“You should have run off with her while you had the chance,” Echo muttered, before walking into the warehouse.

“Where are you going?” he shouted.

“To clean up after you two,” she yelled back, and Bellamy felt like he was going to pass out. He fished his keys out of his pocket before getting into his car. Once he was sitting in the car, he forced himself to take a deep breath. All he had to do was drive home. He could do this.

 

Bellamy beat Clarke home, which he should not have. She left before him. He paced in the living room, as the minutes ticked by. But, still, no sign of Clarke.

Thirty minutes passed and she finally got back, her eyes turning murderous as soon as she saw him.

“Where the hell have you been?” he shouted.

“No comment,” she said with a dry smirk, and Bellamy gripped the side of the couch to keep from screaming out of frustration.

“I need to know where you were,” he said as calmly as he could manage.

“Well, if the police officers ever show up at our door, you will tell them that you and I were at home all night. Spin some tale about how we wanted to spend our wedding night in the house we plan on raising our three kids in, or something like that. You’re good at lying,” she said with a terrifying smile, before tossing her keys onto the kitchen table. “They won’t ask, though. So, don’t you worry your pretty little head about where I’ve been.”

“Clarke.”

“And, I do hope you didn’t call Marcus or Octavia about this. Or even Jasper or Monty,” she said, and Bellamy’s chest started to tighten, because Clarke even knew about all of them. “I’m not in the mood to bury another body tonight.”

“You don’t mean that,” Bellamy growled, stepping toward Clarke. She crossed her arms, meeting his intense gaze without flinching.

“You don’t know what I mean. You don’t know me. You still can’t figure out how I found you,” she said with a smirk. “We’re basically strangers, legally bound so we may never be compelled to testify against each other in a court of law.”

“Why did you go along with this when you clearly knew what I was up to?” he snapped, his eyes boring into hers.

“It was a decent plan, and I would have gotten what I wanted. I just expected you and Marcus to know better than to take your eyes off Thelonious,” she growled.

“That wasn’t my fault!” Bellamy yelled, and Clarke let out a slight chuckle, turning away from him. “So, what was it you wanted? Was it Griffin Global? Was that what you were using this wedding for?”

“How dare you,” she snapped, whipping her head around to face him. “My mother turned my dad’s company into a volatile corporation that profited from man-made disasters. Every time I step in that building, I feel physically ill.”

“That was out of line,” he backtracked, realizing that he just accused Clarke of using him, when he was doing that very thing to her.

“You’re damn right it was. I was looking for the same thing you were,” she snapped. “And now, I’m stuck as your wife,” she continued, and Bellamy flinched at the hateful tone in her voice as she called herself his wife. “And, I have nothing to show for it.” Then, she turned around to head for the stairs.

“Clarke,” Bellamy called after her, following her.

“Leave me alone, Bellamy,” she snapped, not turning around.

“Please, I just want to explain to you why I did it,” he begged, feeling desperate to get her back. So much had happened since the wedding ended just hours ago, and he hadn’t gotten a chance to get his thoughts in order. There was so much he didn’t understand about Clarke, about what she knew, about how she felt. And, things were so messy and chaotic, and all Bellamy wanted to do was hold her. He needed something to hold onto.

Clarke whipped her head around, before stepping slowly toward Bellamy, her eyes searching his. “I know why you did it,” Clarke whispered, narrowing her eyes at him. “And, I know that you’ll find a way to avenge your mother and the victims of Mt. Weather.”

Bellamy blinked a few times, studying Clarke’s face for any sign as to where she was going with this. She looked so fierce and vicious, while simultaneously vulnerable and hurt… and it scared him.

“You know, that night at the hospital, I almost believed that you loved me,” Clarke said, before biting her lip.

“Clarke, I do love you,” Bellamy said quickly, stepping even closer to her, putting his hand on her arm. Clarke flinched at the contact, and Bellamy quickly pulled away.

“Don’t say those words to me ever again,” she growled, before storming up the stairs. He kept his eyes fixed on her as she rounded the corner on the landing, before finishing the climb. He forced himself to take a deep breath before walking into the kitchen.

He started searching his cabinets frantically, looking for something to drink. He finally found a bottle of whiskey, and carried it toward his bedroom. He kicked off his shoes, before plopping on his bed, pulling his laptop into his lap as he took a swig straight from the bottle.

His wedding was blowing up all over the media, with extensive articles about the two of them, about Clarke’s dress, about the Griffin-Jaha household. He was bombarded with photos of them just hours ago, looking perfectly happy up at the altar.

But, Bellamy remembered how her hands were shaking, how uneasy she looked. If she was playing him too, she should have been as calm as she normally was.

Then, he remembered what Echo said to him outside the warehouse… about how he should have run off with her. Bellamy blinked a few times, slamming his laptop shut. Clarke was testing him when she asked him to ditch the wedding with her. And, based on how upset she seemed during the ceremony, Bellamy failed her test.

He let out a sigh, tugging his watch off. If Clarke was telling him the truth about figuring it out when Marcus showed up, that meant that there were weeks where her feelings for Bellamy were completely genuine. He wondered if that was enough time for her to fall for him, if, despite knowing that Bellamy was using her, there was a part of her that hoped he would throw his plan away just to be with her. As he set the watch on his nightstand, he noticed an engraving that he hadn’t paid attention to before.

It read, _Keep this close when we’re apart. I love you so much._ And, he believed it. Clarke didn’t have to save Bellamy tonight. She didn’t have to shoot Dax. And, there were too many moments between them that couldn’t have been fake. He remembered how she clung to him after her kidnapping, how he was the only person she felt safe around for days.

He had to believe that some of it was real for her. Otherwise, he had nothing.

He took another glance at the watch, having a weird feeling when he looked at it. Then, the strange feeling made something click.

He let out a groan, realizing that Clarke put a tracking device in his watch. He should be grateful, since without that sly move on her part, he would probably be buried out in the middle of nowhere instead of Dax. But, he was frustrated, because once again, he was a move behind Clarke.

He knew better than to underestimate her. He really did.

He glanced at the clock, hoping Marcus would forgive him for waking up as he dialed him.

“Who’s dead?” Marcus mumbled, and Bellamy swallowed, hating the irony of how he answered the phone.

“No one. But, Clarke knows,” Bellamy said, and he heard Marcus suck in a breath.

“You told her?” he shouted.

“No. She figured it out on her own. She’s known for a while,” Bellamy explained, and Marcus went silent for a few seconds, probably struggling to process this.

“Fuck,” was all Marcus could utter.

Bellamy started chuckling, getting a bit hysterical from lack of sleep. “Yeah, fuck is right,” he joked badly, throwing his head back. And as he listened to Marcus spout off theories about what Clarke could be up to, Bellamy kept his eyes shut, occasionally offering an acknowledging grunt so Marcus knew he was still there. But, the exhaustion of the day took over, and Bellamy drifted off to a dreamless few hours of sleep.


	13. Penance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any typos this time around. Alex here has a cold and might have been a little cough syrup drunk while editing. So, uh yeah lol.

Bellamy woke up to the faint sound of his phone ringing. He blinked his eyes open a few times, looking around him for where he left his phone. But, it wasn’t on his bed, and it wasn’t on his nightstand. He tilted his head up, seeing his phone all the way by the dresser, as far away from him as it could possibly be.

He let out a groan as he went to sit up, but something pulled him back. He couldn’t move his arms. Bellamy glanced up, seeing both of his hands handcuffed to his bed.

“Clarke!” Bellamy yelled as loud as he could. The events of last night came flooding back to him: Dax strangling him, Clarke shooting Dax, Bellamy and Clarke burying Dax…

The call went to voicemail, as Bellamy tried to figure out how to get out of the cuffs. He was certain Clarke had the key, and given how pissed she is, she wouldn’t be too keen on giving it to him.

His phone started to ring again. If he could get to his phone, he could dial Marcus or Octavia to come help. But, it was all the way on the other side of the room, and as strong as Bellamy liked to think he was, there was no way he could drag his entire bed to get to his phone.

Bellamy tried to turn onto his side, but with how his arms were, it was kind of painful to stay like that for long. From that position, he got a better look at his nightstand, where Clarke had left him a post-it note: _Happy one-day anniversary._

“Fucking Clarke,” Bellamy mumbled, as he tried to swing his legs up, to open the drawer of his nightstand with his feet. But, this was harder than he expected.

Then, he heard his front door swing open.

“Clarke!” Bellamy yelled.

“Bellamy, why aren’t you answering your phone?” he heard Jasper shout, followed by Jasper’s footsteps toward his door.

“Come in here, I need your help,” Bellamy shouted. But, Bellamy should have realized that Jasper would have some kind of reaction to how Bellamy probably looked, because as soon as Jasper opened the door, he burst out laughing. “This isn’t funny.”

“Kane told me Clarke was pissed at you, but damn,” Jasper said, still chuckling as he shut the door behind him.

“Where is Clarke?” Bellamy groaned, as Jasper picked Bellamy’s phone off the dresser.

“I’ll text her for you and find out. So, how is married life treating you?” Jasper teased.

“So help me God Jasper, get me out of these,” Bellamy growled, while Jasper typed away on Bellamy’s phone.

“Mr. Jordan will see you now,” Jasper joked with a wink, before Bellamy’s phone dinged. “Clarke says ‘new phone, who dis?’”

“I hate everything,” Bellamy mumbled, clenching his eyes shut.

“Like, I know you’re annoyed right now, but you have to admit, this was a baller move,” Jasper said, before walking over to Bellamy to actually help him.

“Yes, she made her point quite clear,” Bellamy groaned, watching Jasper fumble a bit as he picked the lock of the handcuffs.

“I mean, she gets to be mad at you,” Jasper pointed out, fumbling again.

“I know that.”

“Just feel lucky she isn’t planning on gone girling you,” Jasper joked, but it wasn’t funny. Clarke could totally be planning on doing that and Bellamy would be two steps behind her the whole time. Then, Bellamy heard the click, and his left hand was free.

Once Jasper got the handcuffs completely off him, he strode over to his dresser to grab his phone, and dialed Clarke.

“Hello, dear,” Clarke answered with a mock cheery tone. Bellamy flexed his wrists a bit, feeling sore.

“Where are you?” he snapped.

“Oh sorry, I slipped out while you were still asleep. I know you must have had a hard time getting out of bed this morning,” she replied coolly, and Bellamy let out a loud groan. He pointed to his laptop, and Jasper carried it over to him.

“Okay, you made your point. Are you done taking out your anger on me?” he mumbled, as he typed in his password. Then, he pulled up the feeds, searching for Clarke.

“Not even close,” she snapped. Then, Bellamy found her. She was sitting in the living room outside of Jaha’s study, waiting for him to open his door.

“Clarke, come home so we can have a civil conversation about this,” he pleaded, ignoring the faces Jasper was making at him. Then, he saw Clarke check her watch and smirk. Bellamy looked down at the bottom of the screen, seeing that it was 9:59.

“I’m busy,” she replied, before turning her head, and her eyes were focused right on the camera. Bellamy grabbed Jasper’s arm tightly, not taking his eyes off the screen. “I’ll see you later, sweetie,” she continued, before blowing a kiss right to the camera. Then, she hung up.

“She knows about our cameras?” Jasper shouted, and Bellamy watched her stand up and go into Jaha’s study. And, as he tried to switch the feeds, every single one of them went black. He looked down at the time, which was 10:00.

Jasper yanked the laptop out of Bellamy’s lap, typing away frantically. Bellamy started to dial Monty.

“What?” Monty asked sleepily.

“Clarke just deactivated the feeds,” Bellamy snapped, feeling his heart start to pound.

“Fuck!” Monty shouted, and Bellamy heard some shuffling, followed by a voice that sounded a lot like a woman’s voice in the background.

“Monty, you’re not alone right now, are you?” Bellamy asked, and if Jasper wasn’t too busy figuring out how the hell Clarke pulled this off, he would have a witty comment.

“Uh, no. But, um, I’ll get right on that,” Monty said before hanging up.

“Don’t worry. I can probably get us back online by myself,” Jasper said, voice barely above a whisper.

“Good, because I need to know what Clarke is up to.”

“You should really trust your wife more,” Jasper teased, and Bellamy smacked him on the back of the head.

“I woke up handcuffed to my bed. I’m allowed to have trust issues,” Bellamy snapped.

“And you lied to her during your whole relationship. Those two wrongs don’t come close to equaling each other,” Jasper shrugged, still typing away. Then, he finished, sitting back with a cheery grin, until the screen went completely black. “What the fuck?” Jasper yelled, shaking the laptop. Then, a giant red infinity sign showed up on the screen.

“Is that—”

“Fuck!” Jasper yelled, throwing the laptop onto the bed.

“Does this mean Clarke was who hacked us?” Bellamy asked, eyes wide. There was no way it could have been her. Granted, Bellamy had made the mistake of underestimating Clarke way too many times already… but he was pretty sure as far as tech was concerned, he estimated Clarke correctly.

“No, there’s no way she has this kind of talent. We would have known about that by now,” Jasper groaned, before picking the laptop back up, staring at the screen with a bewildered expression. “She had help.”

“Well, we know she’s been in contact with Alie, but she’s in jail, or Becca is. I don’t know.”

“Did she say something about Alie to you?” Jasper asked, tilting his head slightly.

“Uh, she admitted that she used Alie to get information on me,” Bellamy said, brushing his fingers through his hair. Jasper looked at Bellamy for a second before looking back at the screen, his mouth opened slightly. “Are you thinking that Alie and Becca aren’t the same person?”

“No, I’m thinking A.L.I.E. is a program,” Jasper said, with a slight grin on his lips. “That clever bitch,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“That’s stupid. We heard Clarke talk to Jaha about Alie. They both referred to her a person. I heard her talk on the phone to Alie,” Bellamy snapped, but Jasper’s grin only widened.

“Clarke left the country to go find A.L.I.E. Who else went with her? That Raven chick who is also a hacker,” Jasper said, smiling ear to ear. “Clarke must have figured out that A.L.I.E. was a program once she got to Europe, but Jaha didn’t know that.”

Bellamy blinked a few times, thinking back to his brief conversation about Alie the night before. Clarke seemed confused when Bellamy asked about her, and then she carefully answered his question… and her wording would work for either a person or a program.

“Monty and I had been looking for Becca for years, but she disappeared off the face of the earth. We just assumed Alie was the new name she was going by,” Jasper said excitedly.

“And Becca is now in jail…” Bellamy said, narrowing his eyes at Jasper.

“And your wife probably had a lot to do with that. Now, I’m willing to bet that Raven girl has the A.L.I.E. program, which is how they hacked into our system.”

“Which would answer how Clarke knew about the cameras…” Bellamy said, nodding along.

“And how she seems to know everything we’ve been up to,” Jasper finished the thought.

“Holy shit,” Bellamy murmured, throwing himself backwards on his bed. “How did we miss all of this?” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Well, you got distracted. I mean, Clarke did get kidnapped. And you spent a lot of time worried about her emotional stability and if she was going to stay in the relationship with you…”

“Alright, when you can, please do a heavy background search on Raven Reyes. Also, I want to know everything about Echo from before she became friends with Clarke. She’s in on this too,” Bellamy muttered, shaking his head.

 

“Where could she even be if she’s not at the house?” Bellamy groaned, now pacing in his living room. Clarke had been evading all his other phone call for the entire day, and it was well into the night now.

“This is why you need to put that tracker on your wife,” Jasper shrugged, not looking up from his laptop.

“Don’t you dare. Do you really want to make Clarke angrier?” Marcus warned, before receiving a phone call. He stepped outside to take the call.

As soon as the door shut, Bellamy looked at Jasper. “I’ll put it on her charm bracelet while she’s sleeping,” he reassured, and Jasper smirked.

“Such a great husband,” Monty muttered from the kitchen.

“She literally handcuffed me to my bed last night and put a tracker in my watch. How am I the bad guy?” Bellamy snapped.

“Probably because you were manipulating her since the day you met or something like that. Not judging, since I helped make that plan, but just explaining her behavior,” Monty shrugged. “So, we have an Echo problem.”

“No fucking duh,” Bellamy snapped, and Marcus stormed back in, picking up the remote and turning on the tv. He flipped through a few channels before he hit the news. Bellamy furrowed his eyebrows, seeing Clarke’s name on the screen.

“In a press conference just an hour ago, Clarke Griffin announced that she is relinquishing any claim she has on Griffin Global. Many are speculating this was to ease Griffin Global’s transition into becoming a subsidiary of The Ark,” the announcer said, and Bellamy’s jaw opened slightly. He glanced over at Marcus who had a horrified expression on his face.

“What does this mean for us?” Bellamy asked.

“Well, Clarke could have drawn this out over years in a nasty legal battle, and maybe could have gotten Griffin Global in the end…” Marcus said, shaking his head. “But, this has Jaha’s handiwork written all over it.”

“That’s what the meeting Clarke blocked us from seeing was about,” Bellamy groaned.

“Can I give you my bad Echo news while you’re already upset?” Monty asked, and Bellamy nodded. “The earliest record of her is from two years ago. Before then, it’s like she didn’t exist.”

“Okay, Echo didn’t just show up,” Bellamy groaned, and Monty narrowed his eyes at him.

“No duh. What I’m saying is that Echo isn’t her name. That she used to be someone else and now has a completely new identity,” Monty snapped, and Bellamy glanced over his shoulder at Jasper.

“Tell me you at least have good news for me,” Bellamy pleaded with Jasper, who winced slightly.

“I think I just heard your wife’s car door shut,” he said apologetically, and Marcus turned off the tv. He saw Monty exit out of his shadier tabs, and Jasper did the same. Bellamy pinched the bridge of his nose, mentally preparing for whatever fury Clarke had in store for him.

When she sauntered into the door, she was carrying her heels in one hand, and an unopened bottle of wine in the other. “Oh, people,” she muttered as she looked around the room. Bellamy noticed a particularly vicious glance toward Marcus.

“Where have you been all day?” Bellamy asked, tilting his head. He knew where she was during the press conference and while meeting with Jaha, but that left a lot of hours in the day where she could only be doing God knows what.

“You know, since we got married, you’ve gotten really clingy,” Clarke retorted, walking toward the kitchen. Bellamy clenched his jaw, as he heard Jasper and Monty chuckle. “Where’s your other coconspirator?” Clarke asked.

“She’s with her boyfriend,” Monty shouted, before Bellamy smacked him on the back of the head. “What the hell?”

“Clarke,” Marcus said, now walking into the kitchen. Bellamy followed quickly after, watching Clarke look for the bottle opener. “What did Jaha say to you to make you give up Griffin Global?” Clarke turned around, resting her back against the counter, as her eyes darted between Marcus and Bellamy.

“I don’t see how that’s your business, Marcus,” Clarke growled, looking him up and down.

“You could have fought this. It would have taken time, but you could have won,” Marcus snapped, his voice sounding more frustrated with each word.

“Yeah? Have you ever beaten Thelonious?” Clarke asked with a small grin. “He made the consequence of me pursuing Griffin Global quite clear, and it’s not a price I’m willing to pay.” Bellamy watched Marcus closely, as his eyes dropped to the floor. Then, Bellamy glanced back at Clarke, hoping she would betray something in her face. He was missing something.

“What did he threaten to do?” Bellamy asked, but Marcus put his hand up, to signal Bellamy not to push it.

“Anyways, I stole a bottle of wine from his cellar and his credit card, since that’s about all I can do to him today,” Clarke muttered, turning around to actually open the bottle. Then, she reached up to grab a wine glass. Marcus gestured for Bellamy to give them a moment, and Bellamy gave in, if only because he didn’t want to be there when Clarke inevitably started yelling at Marcus.

He walked back into the living room, his hands in his pockets, as Jasper and Monty eagerly waited for him to say something.

“So, is she like a part of our group now?” Jasper asked, almost giddily.

“Absolutely not,” Bellamy snapped, not even wanting to list the reasons that was a horrible idea. Clarke was angry, and not a kind of angry he knew how to deal with. Bellamy had rage problems, sure. But, he targeted his anger directly. Clarke, on the other hand, would float between furious and calm almost seamlessly, and Bellamy could never predict what was going to make her snap.

He still loved Clarke, but that almost made him trust her less. He knew he had a blind spot when it came to her, and, as he was learning, she was quite adept to exploiting that.

“But, she knows literally everything that is still puzzling us. She has all the answers we need,” Monty groaned, throwing his head back.

“He just doesn’t want her in the group because she hates him,” Jasper said, and Bellamy chucked a pillow at his head.

“She does not hate me. We just haven’t had the chance to talk yet,” Bellamy growled, and Monty gave him a pointed glare. Then, Bellamy saw Marcus walk toward the living room, his hand clutching his cheek. “Did she slap you too?”

“Nope. I got a punch. But, I deserved it,” he replied, wincing slightly as he spoke.

“What did you do?” Jasper asked, chuckling slightly. Marcus opened his mouth to speak, but then they all heard Clarke waltz back in, carrying a very full glass of wine.

“Well, most recently he made Bellamy propose to me as part of a convoluted scheme to get evidence that could indict my mother,” Clarke answered eloquently, with a grimace. Jasper and Monty exchanged a nervous look, as Marcus took a large step away from Clarke. “What? You all knew that I knew.”

Bellamy kept his eyes fixed on the ground, almost afraid to look at Clarke now.

“Also, as I learned today, that plan would have never worked because she won’t give up Thelonious,” Clarke furthered, and that caught Bellamy’s attention.

“What are you talking about?” Bellamy asked, furrowing his brows at her.

“Well, I’m assuming you all figured this out since you bugged my house, but they only married so that they can’t testify against each other,” Clarke explained, before taking a sip of her wine. “But, apparently that doesn’t breed a lot of trust,” Clarke said, before giving a side glance to Bellamy. “So, he has a little insurance policy to make sure she never trades information about him to get a lower sentence.”

Bellamy noticed Marcus’ eyes widen at that sentence, as Clarke raised an eyebrow at him. These two were keeping something from him. There was still so much about their relationship that Bellamy didn’t quite understand. Somehow, Marcus was extremely fond of Clarke, yet, she seemed to resent him and was more than willing to blackmail him. It didn’t make sense.

“Just keep that in mind once you make up a new little scheme. I’m going upstairs to do some online shopping with Thelonious’ credit card. Anyone want anything?” she asked with an uneasy grin.

“Uh, the new iPhone looks nice,” Jasper said hesitantly, and Bellamy let out a groan.

“Done,” Clarke said, and Monty’s head popped up. “I’ll get you one too.” Then, Clarke raised an eyebrow at Bellamy.

“A watch that doesn’t have a tracking device in it would be nice,” Bellamy said, and Clarke started smirking.

“Look who’s learning,” she smirked before heading up the stairs.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Marcus said, “You have to find a way to work with her.”

“Are you kidding me?” Bellamy whispered, looking over his shoulder. “You have to trust the people who you work with, and we can’t trust her. She has been playing us almost as long as we’ve been playing her.” Then, Marcus grabbed Bellamy by the arm and started dragging him toward the front door. Jasper shot Bellamy an apologetic look, before Marcus dragged him outside.

“Do not let her get a rise out of you,” Marcus snapped as soon as the door was shut. Bellamy got a chill, wishing he had kept his jacket on.

“I’m not! I am being as civil as I can to someone who literally handcuffed me while sleeping,” Bellamy growled.

“You’re lucky that’s all she did to you,” Marcus said, hitting Bellamy on the chest.

“She also slapped me last night,” Bellamy pointed out, and Marcus rolled his eyes.

“That literally does not compare to what you’ve put her through. She gets to be pissed,” he said sternly, crossing his arms. “And, even though she hates you right now, she is still saving your ass.” Bellamy blinked a few times, wondering if Clarke told him about last night. She made it very clear that was to stay between them, so Marcus must have figured it out some other way.

“She only found me last night because she was tracking me,” Bellamy said, and Marcus’ eyes widened. Bellamy snapped his mouth shut, realizing they weren’t talking about the same thing.

“What happened last night?” he growled, furrowing his brows as he spoke.

“I can’t tell you,” Bellamy said, which only seemed to make Marcus angrier. He clenched his eyes shut.

“Did you kill someone?” he asked, eyes still shut, as he rubbed his temples.

“No,” Bellamy said, which was technically not a lie.

“So, Clarke did,” Marcus said, raising an eyebrow. Bellamy nodded, before swallowing. “You don’t have to tell me who it was, but can you tell me why?”

“The person was strangling me,” Bellamy muttered, looking down at the ground. Marcus started pacing on the porch, but Bellamy didn’t dare look up at him. After a few moments of complete silence, Marcus finally let out a sigh.

“Over the course of twenty-four hours, Clarke managed to save your life not once, but twice, and all you seem to be worked up over is the fact that she is lashing out at you?” Marcus asked, jaw twitching slightly as he spoke.

“What do you mean, twice?” Bellamy asked, his heart suddenly pounding.

“When Jaha has a particularly difficult adversary, such as the Griffin women, his threats can become increasingly more violent,” Marcus said, his eyes on the ground. “I know he has threatened to kill people Abby cared about in the past, and I think that’s what he’s doing to Clarke now. Nothing else could have made Clarke step down like that.”

“Marcus, that’s ridiculous,” Bellamy interrupted. After everything he has put her through, she wouldn’t just throw Griffin Global away for him. It had to be someone else that she was protecting.

“The only other person Clarke cares about enough is Wells, and Jaha wouldn’t hurt him,” Marcus said, his eyes boring into Bellamy’s. Bellamy swallowed, before storming back into the house. He ignored the confused faces that Monty and Jasper shot in his direction as he moved toward the stairs.

He knocked on Clarke’s door twice, before letting himself in. She was sitting on top of the bed, drinking wine, and looking at her laptop.

“Oh, do you think we’ll still be married by Christmas? If so, I’m getting you a first edition with Thelonious’ card,” she said, her eyes not leaving her screen.

“Clarke, I’m sorry,” he said, but she didn’t even look at him.

“Or, maybe I’ll get you a handgun with a better grip so you’re less likely to drop it,” she said, taking out a notebook to write that down.

“Are you hearing me? I want to apologize to you,” he pleaded, sitting down on the other side of her bed.

“I hear you, but I’m ignoring you,” she said, before taking another sip from her glass.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong to do this to you, and I will regret it for the rest of my life. I love you,” he pleaded, reaching out to grab her hand. She smacked it away, before shutting her laptop.

“No, you don’t. Please, stop saying that,” she snapped as she slid off the bed to stand up.

“Clarke, please,” he begged, and he saw Clarke’s jaw clench.

“I don’t know what your endgame is, and I don’t really care. I am here because I have to be, because our wedding was a huge spectacle and if I immediately walk away from it, it looks like I just married you to get Griffin Global. Now, I have things I need to do, so please, leave,” she snapped, gesturing to the door.

“Clarke, we can help each other,” he said, standing up to look at her. Her eyes were hard as ice as she glared at him, but he was desperately searching for any sign that she still cared about him.

“I’ve seen firsthand what your brilliant planning leads to. I’ll pass,” she said smugly, before flickering her eyes toward the door.

 

Bellamy considered himself lucky to not wake up handcuffed to his bed. But, he woke up to his phone dinging frantically. He glanced over at it, noticing the tracker app he installed, that was monitoring Clarke’s movements. He added a new charm to her bracelet while she was in the shower last night, just so he could have an idea of what she was up to.

He rubbed his eyes, seeing Clarke move dangerously close to the Arkadian Men’s Correctional Facility. He started dialing Octavia.

“Whatever it is, no,” she groaned.

“Why is Clarke visiting a prison right now?” he asked, standing up to get dressed.

“Maybe she’s already bored with you and is having an affair with her convict lover,” Octavia muttered, and Bellamy let out a loud groan.

“O, be serious please. Clarke is up to something,” he said, putting his phone on speaker. “Isn’t that the prison that Dante Wallace is in?”

“Yeah, I think so. You think he’s her convict lover?” Octavia mumbled.

“Why am I the only person who is taking Clarke seriously? She outsmarted us because we underestimated her, and I’m not about to make that same mistake again,” he chastised as he threw a shirt on.

“I’m not underestimating her. But, I’m not going to get worked up over every little thing she does that seems suspicious. She clearly has a plan of her own,” Octavia said, and then Bellamy heard Lincoln’s voice in the background.

“A plan we know nothing about, until now, because I’m going to get to the bottom of this,” he muttered, before hanging up the phone.

Bellamy wasn’t going to settle for letting Clarke be. If he was going to take down Jaha and Abby, he needed to stay on top of what Clarke was up to, because she clearly knew things he didn’t. So, he took off to the Arkadian Men’s Correctional Facility.

 

Of course, by the time Bellamy actually got there, she was on the move again. He tracked the dot on the screen to a nearby park, which in of itself was suspicious because Clarke was not an outdoorsy girl. In fact, he recalled many times how she would go off on her rant arguing that mankind has spent its entire history perfecting inside, so why should she spend time outside?

He kept his sunglasses on as he carefully surveyed the park, not seeing the blonde hair he was looking for. He walked around for a bit, occasionally checking his screen to make sure he had the right place.

It was mostly just old people, sitting on benches. In fact, it was a lovely fall day. And, Bellamy might have actually enjoyed it for a moment if it weren’t for the annoying fact that Clarke was somehow out of sight. He found himself going through the entire trail, looking behind trees to see if she was there. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find. Maybe Clarke was meeting with someone. Maybe it was a hit man, he didn’t know. It was Clarke, after all. He had to expect the unexpected.

After searching for a while, the dot started to move again. Bellamy let out a growl, before leaving the park. He started to head up the street, pulling over where the dot stopped. He was outside a parking garage, that looked pretty empty. He swallowed before driving inside, surveying each level for his evasive princess. But, he got all the way to the top, and still no Clarke. He let out a loud groan, hitting the steering wheel several times. The dot wasn’t moving anymore, so she had to be here. He slowly drove back down to the first level, not seeing a single person the whole way down.

As he pulled out of the parking garage, he noticed a cat sitting by the entrance. Bellamy put his car in park before stepping out, approaching the cat. And, attached to the cat’s collar was the charm Bellamy attached to Clarke’s bracelet last night. He let out a sigh, as the cat started to jog away. Then, he saw something else on the cat’s collar. He chased after it, unwrapping a note that had been wrapped around its collar.

_Nice try, dear._

Bellamy let out another loud groan, before moving back to his car. He was getting really tired of Clarke always having the upper hand.

 

He had been on this Clarke search for two hours before he made it home. Her car was there when he pulled in, and he forced himself to take another deep breath before stepping out of his car.

“Clarke!” he shouted as he walked in, but got no response. He let out a groan, before heading upstairs. He knocked on her door, sighing as he rested his arm on the door frame. She opened the door, giving him a once over before walking back into her room. “What kind of game are you playing?” he asked, holding up the note she left him.

“I don’t play games, I win them,” Clarke smirked, as she settled back down on her bed, pulling her sketchbook back into her lap.

“I’m willing to bet you haven’t been here the entire time I was gone. What were you up to today?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her. Clarke shrugged, not taking her eyes off her sketchbook. “Clarke, I know you must have done something you don’t want me to know about, otherwise you wouldn’t have made me chase around a cat for two hours.” Then, Clarke burst out laughing. “This isn’t funny!”

“Payback’s a bitch,” she said, still chuckling.

“You’re killing me here,” he groaned.

“And to think it’s only day two,” she smirked. Bellamy let out a groan at that. She has only been doing this to him for two days, but it felt like an eternity.

“Is this penance for what I did to you? Are you just going to keep tormenting me?” Clarke finally glanced up at this, tilting her head slightly as she studied his face.

“Do you think that would be adequate punishment? Messing with your head in return for how you messed with mine?” she asked, sounding completely genuine as she spoke. Bellamy blinked a few times, confused by her tone shift.

“Clarke…” he said hesitantly, stepping toward her. But, she popped up out of her bed, slipping her shoes on. Then, she grabbed her keys. “Where are you going?” She brushed right past him. “Clarke!” he shouted, following her toward the stairs.

“You just gave me a great idea,” she explained, as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“For what? Another way to torment me?” Bellamy quipped, but Clarke didn’t acknowledge him. Then, his phone went off. He groaned as he answered.

“What?” he groaned the Marcus, keeping his eyes on Clarke as she grabbed her jacket.

“Turn on the news,” Marcus said, and Bellamy jogged into the living room, turning on the tv.

“Charles Pike, who has recently become infamous after bankrupting his hedge fund, has just been taken into custody,” the news anchor said, and Bellamy blinked a few times, not expecting this. “After eye witnesses placed Pike as the last person to be in contact with the victim, police investigators found evidence of threatening text messages exchanged between him and the victim.”

“Marcus,” Bellamy whispered, before hearing the front door slam. He swallowed, running toward the door to stop Clarke before she drove off.

“Apparently, Pike murdered Dax,” Marcus explained, as Bellamy swung his front door open, waving his arms to get Clarke’s attention. But, she just blew him a kiss, before pulling out of their drive way. Bellamy let out a loud groan.

“Fuck,” Bellamy muttered, as he went back inside, slamming the door shut behind him.

“No, this isn’t a bad thing. Why are you upset?” Marcus asked, as Bellamy put him on speaker, sitting down at the kitchen table. He buried his face in his hands.

Now, he knew exactly what Clarke had been up to these past two days. And, her antagonistic behavior, while probably accurate depictions of her emotional state, served as the best distractions so that Bellamy missed all of it.

“I need to convince Clarke to work with me,” he mumbled, before banging his head on the table.


	14. Collusion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would have gotten this up a few hours ago if I didn't take an accidental nap. Update on me: my fever is now over 100 and I'm hitting new levels of delirious, but don't worry. I'm watching old Revenge episodes and having a non-delirious person read over these updates before I post. 
> 
> Happy weekend, you guys. 
> 
> And, I know a lot of you are worried about the Bellarke feels. Listen, I'm not going to tie things up in a nice little bow right away, since in the story it's only been a week since Bellamy realized Clarke knew. But, they will get there... in a while. Just trust me.

“Mr. Blake, there is an angry woman here who insists on seeing you, Mr. Green, and Mr. Jordan,” his receptionist said over the phone. Bellamy furrowed his brows, looking over at Jasper and Monty who were debating about if the new packaging was more purple or blue.

“Is it my wife?” Bellamy had to ask, even though it earned an immediate giggle from Jasper. Bellamy balled up a piece of paper before throwing it at him.

“No, it’s not Mrs. Blake,” he replied, and Bellamy winced at hearing him refer to Clarke like that.

“Well, then send her up. And, Clarke kept her last name,” Bellamy corrected, before hanging up. “Brace yourselves, we have a visitor,” Bellamy announced, but Jasper and Monty weren’t paying attention. They were back to their little debate. He let out a loud groan, before resting his head on top of his desk.

A few minutes passed, with a lot of Monty accusing Jasper of being colorblind, before his office door swung open without a knock. Bellamy’s head whipped out, seeing a murderous Raven Reyes storming toward him.

“Get your boys to stop fucking with my program,” Raven growled, bracing both of her hands on Bellamy’s desk. Bellamy leaned back in his chair, sighing, as he glanced over at Jasper and Monty, who were frozen in fear.

“Jasper, Monty, have either of you had the pleasure of meeting Raven Reyes yet?” Bellamy asked, but Raven didn’t take her eyes off Bellamy.

“Bellamy, I know you’re not stupid. You know that these two can’t get into my program—” Raven started.

“Becca’s program,” Monty corrected, before Raven shot him a death glare.

“This is the first I’m hearing of this,” Bellamy said flippantly, smirking slightly. Jasper opened his mouth to say something, but Monty’s warning glare was enough to remind him to shut his mouth.

“I literally heard you give that order in this office, you dumbass,” Raven snapped at Bellamy, and Bellamy furrowed his brows, before giving a confused look to Monty and Jasper.

“No, there’s no way. We checked just this morning. There are no bugs in this building,” Monty reassured, but Bellamy just narrowed his eyes at him. If Clarke somehow managed to bug their office, Bellamy was going to be pissed. Then, he looked at Raven, who was just smiling smugly.

“Well, there are the security cameras, but they’re unhackable. Only the owner should have access to the live feed,” Jasper jumped in nervously. Bellamy narrowed his eyes at Raven, suddenly connecting the dots. He started dialing Clarke’s office number.

“Yes, dear?” Clarke answered.

“Did you buy my office building?” Bellamy growled, and Monty and Jasper both exchanged horrified glances. Raven settled down in the chair across from Bellamy’s desk, propping her feet up on his desk. Bellamy swatted them off, which only seemed to amuse Raven.

“Well, I’ve always had a passion for real estate. But, that was detailed to you along with all my other assets in our prenuptial agreement. If you have any further questions about that, I will have to direct you to my attorney,” she said almost clinically. Bellamy let out a louder groan, and Raven started playing a game on her phone, looking bored.

“Tell me you didn’t buy this building just to spy on me,” he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. He was already making a list of all the conversations he had in this office in the past week that Clarke must have overheard. After all, it became Bellamy’s safe place to make plans since his house was basically a warzone.

“Jasper and Monty, too. You know, Raven is really upset with them at the moment. You should get back to resolving that issue,” Clarke said, and he could hear her smirk over the phone.

“You’re watching the feed right now, aren’t you?” he groaned.

“Creepy, isn’t it?” she asked, and that hit him right in the gut. He isn’t allowed to get angry at her about something he had already done.

“Clarke,” he replied, voice pleading.

“Don’t be late tonight, or I’ll set your car on fire,” Clarke said before hanging up. Bellamy pressed his lips together, putting his phone down.

“Jasper, Monty, stop messing with Raven,” Bellamy ordered, burying his face in his hands. “Will that suffice?” he asked.

Raven didn’t even look up from her phone. Bellamy raised an eyebrow at her, but she stuck a hand up as she kept playing her game. Then, after a few moments, she put the phone down. “Okay, if it happens again, I’ll out Jasper for hacking into the FBI database, Monty for altering medical records, and you and Octavia for breaking and entering Tsing’s office,” she said, before standing up.

Bellamy’s jaw dropped, as he watched Raven storm out of his office just as violently as she came in. He glanced over at Jasper and Monty, who have long since forgotten their debate over color.

“Clarke was a step ahead of us again,” Jasper said, his jaw slightly ajar.

“I’m not even surprised anymore,” Bellamy whispered, as he banged his head into his desk.

 

“Okay, this is the third voicemail I’ve left you, O. You better show up tonight,” Bellamy pleaded, before hanging up. He was pacing in the lobby of a hotel, trying to get up the energy to walk into the ballroom. Octavia had been growing more distant lately. Not that he blamed her. She was upset when the whole plan fell apart at Bellamy’s wedding. But, he missed her. He missed having an ally in Arkadia, especially when Clarke has turned into his toughest adversary.

He let out a sigh before walking in, glancing around the room for Clarke. He saw Abby and Wells first, noticing the two of them arguing about something. Bellamy tilted his head in confusion, wondering what the two of them could be upset about. Raven still hadn’t let them back into the feeds, so he had no idea what was going on in that house. But, he had a feeling that Clarke could still view the feeds, which meant it was just another thing that Clarke knew more about than him.

Then, he spotted Thelonious who was talking to a man that Bellamy was pretty sure he had seen before… but didn’t have a name for. But, the look on Thelonious’ face was concerning… because it looked an awful lot like Jaha getting his way.

He caught a flash of blonde in his peripheral, and he turned and saw Clarke with a strange expression on her face as she talked to… Finn Collins. Bellamy blinked a few times, making sure he was seeing this correctly. But, there was Finn, who Bellamy had already had to get rid of once. Bellamy bit his tongue as he walked up to them, making sure to throw an arm around Clarke’s waist.

“Hi, I’m not sure we’ve met,” Bellamy said, and by the way Finn’s jaw twitched slightly, he knew all too well that Bellamy remembered him. “I’m Bellamy, Clarke’s husband,” he said, reaching out his other hand.

“Finn Collins, Clarke’s ex,” he said, before pressing his lips together and sharing a pointed look at Clarke.

“Finn was just telling me about how he moved back to Arkadia. Poor thing just barely missed our wedding,” Clarke said, looking up at Bellamy with a grin.

“Would have come back sooner if I had known about it. I’m sure my invitation was lost in the mail,” Finn replied, looking Bellamy up and down.

“It wasn’t,” Clarke corrected, and Bellamy had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. “Great to see you again,” Clarke said, before pulling Bellamy by the hand. Bellamy glanced back at Finn, who immediately headed for the bar with an exasperated look on his face.

“What is that snake doing back here?” Bellamy whispered into her ear, and he saw Clarke’s jaw clench slightly.

“Well, his father is talking to Thelonious now, so I have my suspicions,” Clarke muttered, before leading him to a table, where they both took a seat. “Thank you for showing up on time,” she said, before leaning back to grab a glass of champagne off the waiter’s tray. Bellamy grabbed one, now taking a closer look at Clarke. Her hair was all the way up, which was weird for Bellamy. It was almost always down.

“Well, you did threaten to set my car on fire,” he teased, before taking a sip.

“I wouldn’t do that to you. I’d hate for you to lose your Spanish CD’s before you’ve learned your colors,” she deadpanned, and Bellamy bit his lip, seeing more people enter the ballroom since the event was just minutes away from starting.

“I know my colors, Clarke,” he snapped.

“Really? How do you say purple?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. And, of course, she asks for the one that Bellamy always has a hard time remembering. “Maybe flee to an English-speaking country. You won’t do well in Mexico,” Clarke muttered, before taking a sip of her champagne.

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere, Clarke,” he snapped, forcing a smile as he stared her down. She smirked, before waving Wells over. Wells let out a sigh, before grabbing Roan and headed over.

“There are the newlyweds,” Roan said, nodding at Bellamy before he sat down. Wells sat next to Clarke, whispering something into her ear that made Clarke’s jaw clench.

“How have you been, Roan?” Bellamy asked, raising an eyebrow. He still didn’t understand how Wells and Roan fell back together, especially after everything Clarke told him about what transpired between them. He almost suspected they were only together to get under Jaha’s skin.

“Unemployed,” Roan joked, and Wells rolled his eyes.

“Is this where the family decided to sit?” Abby Griffin asked, causing Bellamy to jump as she suddenly snuck up behind him. “Thelonious, over here,” Abby said, turning her head slightly. Bellamy saw Clarke’s hand grip the side of her seat, while her face remained perfectly composed. He grabbed her hand, and Clarke raised an eyebrow at him. He knew that if they were alone and he pulled this, she would rip his head off. But, she wouldn’t dare make a scene here.

As Abby and Thelonious got settled across the table from them, Clarke leaned over to Bellamy to whisper, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m just playing the part,” Bellamy whispered smugly, and Clarke’s hand relaxed in his. Then, he felt her heel stomp on his toe. He bit the side of his mouth, trying to keep his reaction under control.

But, while he and Clarke were having this little… spat… the two remaining chairs at the table were taken by Finn Collins and his father. Bellamy swallowed, realizing that he was now sitting in between Clarke and Finn. He glanced at Clarke, who was raising an eyebrow at Jaha, not even paying attention to Bellamy anymore.

“Honestly, I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news,” Mr. Collins said to Jaha, and Bellamy saw Finn glancing over at Clarke. Bellamy slid his chair closer to Clarke, which caught her attention.

“I know. I’ve known Charles for a long time. He’s just not that kind of man,” Abby jumped in, and Bellamy furrowed his brows, realizing they were discussing Pike.

“You think you know someone,” Jaha said with a shrug, as he took a sip of his wine.

“I still think he’s innocent,” Clarke added in, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at her.

“I wish I was that much of an optimist. But, my friends tell me he looks pretty guilty,” Mr. Collins said, and Bellamy reached around to rest his arm on the back of Clarke’s chair.

While Jaha and Collins went back and forth arguing about Pike, Bellamy leaned in to whisper, “Of course, you think he’s innocent. You framed him.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Clarke whispered back, her lips almost grazing his ear as she spoke. Bellamy felt himself overwhelmed by just how close they were, fairly certain this was the closest they had physically been since before the wedding.

“It was sweet of you to visit him in jail. Wonder what the two of you have to talk about,” he whispered accusatorily, seeing Finn Collins almost seethe angrily out of the corner of his eye. Clarke leaned back, studying Bellamy’s face with an almost amused expression. She had no idea that he knew about her visiting him… so, for once, Bellamy had kept up with her.

“Clarke, you two are quite a good-looking couple,” Collins observed, leaning back in his chair, as he glanced between Bellamy and Clarke.

“Well, we try to do our best,” Clarke joked, leaning onto Bellamy’s shoulder. Bellamy swallowed, as he nodded along with a smile, hoping it didn’t look too forced.

“A quick romance, much like two other people I know,” Collins said, now looking at Jaha and Abby. Bellamy’s stomach started to tie itself in a knot at that comparison.

“It practically materialized out of thin air,” Abby said with a forced smile, staring right at Clarke. Bellamy saw Wells throw his head back, clearly frustrated with the face offs between the Griffin women.

“What can I say? I love him,” Clarke said, grabbing Bellamy’s hand. Bellamy swallowed, realizing this was the first time he heard her say that since the wedding. It felt different, hollower. Every other time he had heard those words, he genuinely believed them. But, he had no idea how Clarke actually felt about him. He wanted to believe that under all the blurriness of what was real and what wasn’t, that Clarke did actually love him, just like he loved her. But, at this rate, he was probably never going to know.

Jaha quickly changed the topic to talk about The Ark, clearly courting Mr. Collins for some business transaction.

“You know, I can’t tell when you’re lying anymore,” Bellamy whispered into Clarke’s ear, and she gripped his hand tighter, her face unmoving.

Then, she turned to face him, pressing a quick peck to his lips. “Terrifying, isn’t it?” she whispered with a smirk. Bellamy swallowed, studying her face for the millionth time. She was playing games with him, he knew. But, he refused to engage in her childish attempts to get back at him. He had tried to apologize countless times, but she wouldn’t hear it. Now, he was just waiting for her to use up all her angry energy so he could try again.

 

“Where were you tonight?” Bellamy asked, stepping into Octavia’s apartment.

“Bell, please,” she pleaded, rubbing her temples.

“Were you just sitting in your apartment all night?” he snapped, looking around at an empty pizza box, noticing that Octavia was in sweats with her hair pulled up in a bun.

“Not now,” she groaned, before moving toward the couch.

“What is going on with you? It was bad enough that you were distracted before, but now you have completely checked out. I gave you some time, but now I need some kind of explanation!” Bellamy shouted, following after her.

“You don’t understand,” Octavia muttered, burying her face in her hands.

“If you wanted out, that was all you had to say,” Bellamy groaned, sick and tired of Octavia only being halfway in this, almost since they arrived in Arkadia. More importantly, he was genuinely worried.

“I want out!” she snapped, and Bellamy’s mouth opened slightly, confused by that confession. He had always secretly suspected it, but never expected her to actually say it.

“Octavia,” Bellamy said, voice pleading. He would respect it if she wanted out, but he desperately wanted her to stay. She was his family, and he needed her.

“Too much has gone wrong. Tsing died, Pike is on trial for a murder that I’m pretty sure he didn’t commit, and Jaha screwed us,” she said, gesturing a little too much with her hands. “You are now completely miserable, and we have no idea what to do next,” she said, her eyes threatening tears. Bellamy jumped up and moved over to the couch, pulling her into his chest.

“What’s really going on?” Bellamy asked, as Octavia heaved into his shirt.

“Just that things are falling apart and people are getting hurt and I just can’t be a part of that anymore,” she said frantically, her sobs muffling her voice. Bellamy cradled her head in his hands, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“O, talk to me,” he whispered as calmly as he could. She mumbled something, but he couldn’t make out what she said. “What?” he asked, and she mumbled again. “O, I can’t understand you,” he said, and she pulled away, pushing tears off her cheeks with her thumbs.

“I’m pregnant,” she announced, and Bellamy felt his entire body go numb. He sat there in silence for at least an entire minute as Octavia searched his face for a reaction. “Lincoln doesn’t know yet. I haven’t found a way to tell him,” she finally said, looking down at her hands. Bellamy swallowed, not sure he knew that to say to comfort her. He knew Octavia always wanted a family of her own, and she loved Lincoln. He imagined that they would have gotten married and had several kids as soon as the plan was finished.

“How long have you known?” Bellamy asked.

“I found out a few days before the wedding. I thought that I could hold off on telling anyone until after… you know. But, then Jaha outsmarted us,” she said, her jaw clenching as she spoke.

“I think it’s smart for you to get out of the plan. Safer for the two of you,” Bellamy said, still in shock that Octavia was going to have a baby. She blinked a few times at those words, looking as shocked as Bellamy felt.

“I don’t want to. You know, for mom and for Maya and—”

“O, the worst thing we can do is let these people keep us from living our lives. They’ve already taken our past. Don’t let them take your future too,” Bellamy said, gripping both of Octavia’s hands with his.

“I won’t if you won’t,” Octavia said, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m doing my best,” he said through gritted teeth, thinking back to how strange it was having Clarke on his arm, like nothing had changed. But, everything had changed.

“No, you’re not,” Octavia said, chuckling slightly. He would be mad, if it weren’t for the fact that this was the first time he saw Octavia smile since they found out about Jaha at the wedding. He tilted his head slightly, waiting for her explanation. “I mean, she’s a step ahead of you at every turn, and you’re chasing after her like an idiot.”

“Well, I’m doing my best to catch up, O,” he snapped in a teasing tone.

“Okay, remember when you and Marcus would have those dumb chess matches every night?” she asked, and Bellamy nodded. “Then, I played you and kicked your ass, even though you had spent years practicing strategy.”

“Yeah, but you had been watching me for years. You knew every one of my moves and I knew none of yours,” he muttered, shaking his head at that memory. Octavia wasn’t better at him in chess, she just didn’t play fair.

“Which is Clarke’s advantage right now,” Octavia said, grinning at Bellamy. He blinked a few times, not sure he followed. “She’s been watching you carefully the whole time you’ve been playing her, so she knows what it looks like when you’re trying to be sneaky.”

“Holy shit,” Bellamy murmured, closing his eyes briefly.

“I watched some of the old feeds today. When she came back from France, she literally told Jaha that A.L.I.E. confirmed a theory for her. And it clicked. The whole time you two were together, Clarke kept testing you, trying to learn how you react to things. Like, she pulled away from you and provoked you into saying you loved her just to get her to stay. I think she was trying to see how important having her as a mark was to you,” Octavia mused, as Bellamy played over that week. Clarke clearly figured out while she was gone what Bellamy was doing… and when she got back, she kept snapping at him and pushing him away, a lot like she was doing now…

“She knows exactly how to play me,” he realized, thinking over how perfectly she kept him distracted with her antics, making him miss whatever she had brewing with Pike.

“So much so that she’s getting a little cocky about it,” Octavia said with a smirk, and Bellamy tilted his head, thinking that over.

“Cocky enough that it would completely throw her off if I switched up tactics for dealing with her,” Bellamy announced excitedly, and Octavia nodded along with a huge grin. “I bet she’d really hate it to find out I was up to something that she didn’t know about,” he mused with a smirk.

“You’re welcome,” Octavia said cockily.

“You’re a genius, O,” Bellamy complimented, nudging her shoulder. “I hope your baby gets your brains, and, you know, everything else.” Octavia beamed at him, and he couldn’t believe how happy she looked. Like getting out of this plan lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. And, if anyone deserved to be this happy, it was his baby sister.

 

Clarke was sitting at the kitchen table by the time he got back, still wearing the same dress as earlier that night.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her tone sincere as she furrowed her brows at Bellamy.

“Nothing,” he shrugged, knowing that he probably still looked a little defeated. He knew he still had Octavia in his life, but it felt like there was a hole regardless. He no longer had his partner in this revenge plan of his. He knew it was for the best, but still.

“Bellamy,” Clarke said seriously, closing her laptop, her eyes completely focused on him.

“Octavia’s pregnant. Please keep that quiet, since no one else knows,” he said, forcing a smile, and Clarke’s head tilted, and he could see the wheels turning in her head. She sat there in silence for a few moments, looking down at the table, thinking too loud. Bellamy let out a sigh, not sure how he expected Clarke to respond to that.

“I have a list of doctors she could use, and one of my friends has a really good birthing class to recommend,” Clarke said, her brain still absorbed in thoughts. Bellamy blinked a few times, trying to make sense of Clarke in this moment. And as she listed more suggestions for Octavia, Bellamy finally realized what she was doing.

Her brain was so geared toward problem-solving, so he shouldn’t be surprised that she jumped into this. But, what caught him off guard was that the problem Clarke was trying to solve was Bellamy’s concern over his sister. Clarke was, in her own way, trying to… comfort him. To let him know that everything was going to be okay.

“Thank you,” Bellamy interrupted her, before she listed off any more helpful information that would go right over his head. She blinked a few times, looking back at him, her mouth slightly open. He nodded, before walking past her toward the hallway, loosening his tie as he walked. That was the most real moment the two of them had shared, possibly ever… and once Bellamy shut his bedroom door, he let himself smile over it. He still had a chance. He just had to keep fighting for her.

 

Bellamy was sitting with Marcus in one of his cars, which Clarke would be less likely to recognize. He got a confirmation text on his burner from Monty, who had put Bellamy’s cellphone in his apartment. He knew that Raven almost always had his location via his phone, which is how Clarke kept tabs on Bellamy. Then, his burner started ringing.

“Clarke just left the house. She should be there in a few minutes,” Jasper said, and Bellamy sunk down further in his seat.

“So, she took the bait?” Bellamy asked, not ready to get his hopes up. After all, Clarke usually was a step ahead of them.

“Yeah, Raven flagged the storage unit, and less than a minute later, she was calling Clarke. They probably think this is where we’re storing all of our intel that we don’t want them to know about,” Jasper explained.

“More likely, Clarke is fairly certain that she already has it all, but wants to double check,” he mused, smirking to himself.

After Jasper hung up, Bellamy saw Echo’s car pull in. He sat up slightly, careful to stay out of sight. But, it was Clarke driving, and Echo was nowhere in sight. He now understood that Clarke used Echo’s car when she wanted to be inconspicuous. He watched carefully as she went into the front office, and he wondered how she was going to weasel her way into getting the unit key.

“You sure you want to do this? You know she’s armed,” Marcus whispered.

“So am I,” Bellamy reminded. “She won’t shoot me.”

“Bellamy.”

“Look, what I’ve been trying hasn’t been working,” Bellamy said, as Clarke stepped out of the office, key in hand. “Worst case scenario, she beats the shit out of me. Best case, I finally wear her down and she actually tells me what she’s up to.”

They watched in silence as Clarke unlocked the unit, sliding the door up, before walking in.

“God, she left her keys in the lock. She made this too easy,” Marcus whispered, before opening his door. Bellamy smirked, following suit.

He crept up to the unit, Marcus trailing behind him. He could hear Clarke going through the file cabinets he set in there a few days earlier. Bellamy shot Marcus a smile, before slipping around the corner and walking into the unit. Clarke’s head snapped up immediately, her brows furrowing at him.

“What are you doing here?” she snapped, and then, Bellamy heard Marcus move out in the open, where Clarke could see him.

“Sorry about this, Clarke,” Marcus said, and Bellamy heard him slide the door back down. Clarke’s eyes widened as she ran to the door, trying to pull it back open.

“Marcus!” she yelled, pounding on it. Bellamy walked over to her, smirking slightly, because he couldn’t believe this actually worked.

He leaned against the door, and her eyes grew murderous as she looked up at Bellamy. “He’ll let us out tomorrow morning at 10:00 sharp,” Bellamy explained casually.

“That’s thirteen hours from now,” she growled, standing up straighter as she took a step toward him.

“Then,” Bellamy started to say, taking a step toward her as well, before backing her against the storage unit door, “you better get comfortable.”

Clarke swallowed, glancing up at him with narrowed eyes, her face just inches away from his now. “What are you trying to pull here, Bell?” she asked, cocking her head slightly.

“I just want to talk,” Bellamy said, pushing a hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her eyes widened, and Bellamy knew he had her. She was completely unnerved, her brain working in overdrive as she tried to figure out a way out of this. But, she walked right into this trap. There was no cell service inside the storage units. And, Marcus had set up a stake out of the unit to make sure that absolutely no one interfered with this plan.

Bellamy was finally winning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are ready for a bottle episode next chapter


	15. Entrapment

“Clarke, do you really think I wouldn’t have tested that already?” Bellamy teased, leaning against the door as Clarke tried to pull it back up.

“I’m not spending all night trapped with you,” she muttered, as she examined it closely.

“Lock is on the outside. Picked this storage unit specifically because I couldn’t break out from inside it,” Bellamy explained, and Clarke stood up, kicking the door angrily.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?” she snapped. The lighting inside the unit was dim, as only a single lightbulb was in it, and it was starting to flicker on and off. Her face was pretty shaded from this angle, but he could see the frustration dance across her brow.

“Probably,” he shrugged, before Clarke hit him on the chest. Bellamy grabbed her wrist to keep her from hitting him again. He didn’t squeeze tightly, just held it firmly enough to let her know that he could stop her if he needed to. He raised an eyebrow, almost daring her to try to hit him again. “You done?”

“You just bought yourself thirteen hours of me. I’m nowhere near done,” she growled, before she tried to hit him with the other hand. He caught her in time, stopping her fist just inches away from his face.

“Wouldn’t want to bruise my handsome face,” Bellamy teased, before pushing Clarke backwards, holding both of her wrists tightly. Clarke tried to pull away, but, as strong as she was, she wasn’t going to break free of this. And deep down, she probably realized that. If her head was on straight, she’d probably be able to do some actual damage, but, fortunately for Bellamy, she was rattled and lashing out.

“Let go of me,” she yelled.

“Are you going to stop trying to hit me?” he asked, raising both of his eyebrows as he looked down at her. She nodded, angrily, and Bellamy let go. She backed away quickly, shaking her head as she looked him up and down. Bellamy swallowed, watching her slowly gather her thoughts.

Then, she sat down, her back against one of the walls, her arms crossed as she kept her eyes on Bellamy. Bellamy let out a sigh, before mirroring her. He sat down across from her, raising an eyebrow at her.

“You locked me in here with you, and now you’re just going to stare at me?” Clarke said, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Just until you calm down enough for us to have a conversation,” Bellamy said, as Clarke tapped her fingers on her knee, her jaw tense.

“There’s nothing I don’t know in those files, is there?” she asked gesturing with her head toward the file cabinet, and Bellamy shook his head. She let out a groan, throwing her head back.

“What were you hoping to find?” he asked, but Clarke pressed her lips together tightly.

Minutes passed, and she hadn’t spoken. “So, why did you frame Pike for Dax’s murder?” he asked, and Clarke readjusted herself, getting more comfortable. “Was it just to remove any suspicion from you?” he followed up after a few more minutes, but she was not responding. Her eyes fluttered shut, and Bellamy let out a sigh. “Or, did it have more to do with you thinking that Pike needed more punishment than what I gave him?”

A few more minutes passed, and Bellamy kept his eyes fixed on Clarke. “You’ve visited him twice in prison now, and your lawyer has taken on his case, which I can only imagine is so you can communicate with him without anyone being allowed to listen in.” Clarke made no indication she was listening, her eyes now open as she looked at her nails.

“Are you just going to ignore me for thirteen hours?”

“Twelve and a half,” she corrected, her eyes not meeting his.

“So, you are listening,” Bellamy smirked, crossing his arms. “In that case, I love you, Clarke.”

Her eyes flickered up to him, her head tilting slightly. “And this is all, what? You hoping that Stockholm Syndrome will kick in?” she asked, eyebrows raised. Bellamy swallowed, annoyed that her stoic face was back. He couldn’t read her as well when she was this well masked.

“This is me saying that I’m tired of playing games with you, Clarke. I want to clear the air and work through our problems,” he clarified.

“Well, that’s too bad because I don’t want to,” Clarke snapped.

“So, you just want to torment me and mess with my head indefinitely?” Clarke tilted her head upward, looking around the unit.

Minutes passed, and Bellamy knew that conversation was over for now. He examined Clarke more closely, noticing that she had on a good deal of makeup, probably leftover from work. But, she had changed into jeans and a t-shirt, more casual than Bellamy was used to seeing her. She still had on her coat, which he was grateful she wore. He hadn’t considered how cold it was going to get tonight, and it wasn’t like Clarke was amiable enough to be willing to share body heat to stay warm.

As they rounded out their first hour stuck in the unit, Bellamy let out a sigh. He needed to get her talking again.

“You weren’t the original mark. Wells was,” Bellamy explained, and Clarke started tapping her knee again with her fingers.

“I know,” she snapped, her eyes not meeting his.

“Of course, you do,” Bellamy muttered. “But, you were the one to tell Octavia that Wells wouldn’t be interested, so we had to switch up tactics. That’s when you became my mark.”

Clarke readjusted herself, turning so her back was to the door, putting herself in the corner. She rested her head on the wall, looking completely disinterested in what Bellamy was saying.

“Marcus asked us to leave you out of this, so don’t be mad at him. He had nothing to do with you being used,” Bellamy continued, and Clarke pursed her lips slightly.

“You’re conveniently leaving out the fact that it was his idea for you to marry me,” she muttered, keeping her eyes fixed forward. But, Bellamy could see her jaw clench slightly from her profile. He was starting to get in her head.

“I still don’t know how you know that,” Bellamy replied, tilting his head slightly. There was no online trail that would have told her that. And, they made that plan inside Jasper’s apartment, which Clarke couldn’t have bugged.

“You need to be more careful about where you vent to Octavia,” Clarke said with a smirk, and now Bellamy started thinking back to where he would have talked to Octavia about the plan. He didn’t in his office. In fact, during that whole month, he avoided talking about the proposal in that office since work had been his one distraction. He blinked a few times, as he narrowed down the list of places he would have talked about it to one location.

“Please tell me that you didn’t bug my house,” Bellamy said, feeling his jaw clench. Then, Clarke turned her head to smile at him.

“Okay, I didn’t,” she said smugly.

“How long have there been cameras in my house, Clarke?” he shouted, pounding his fist on the wall behind him.

“Who knows?” Clarke shrugged, and Bellamy wanted to scream. He forced himself to stand up, because he needed to pace.

“I’m getting rid of them,” Bellamy growled after a few moments of pacing.

“No, you’re not,” Clarke retorted, her grin not leaving her face.

“I can’t just have you and Raven, and possibly Echo watching everything that goes on in my house!” he yelled.

“Why not?” Clarke asked, now standing up too. “You and your friends have been watching my house for longer.”

“To get information about the two people responsible for bringing down Mt. Weather, Clarke! That is a legitimate reason to keep surveillance,” he snapped, as Clarke stormed toward him, pushing him up against the wall.

“And, I wanted information about the man who tricked me into letting him in my life, who was playing me so he could be some kind of Trojan horse into my family,” she growled, pushing him on the chest so his back slammed against the wall.

“You played me too, Clarke,” he snapped, and Clarke slapped him right across the face. He grabbed her hand tightly, pressing his lips together tightly as he shot her a warning look. “You knew what I was doing, and instead of confronting me, you let me think I was succeeding. When I said I loved you, you said it back. When I proposed, you said yes. You had an active part in all of this,” he growled, still not letting go of her wrist.

“But, you played me first,” Clarke screamed, pushing against him as she tried to break her wrist free. He grabbed her other wrist, just tight enough that she couldn’t break free. She was still squirming away from him, so Bellamy pushed himself off the wall and walked Clarke backwards until it was her up against the wall.

“I know,” he said gravely, looking Clarke square in the eye. Her eyes widened as he towered over her. “I used you first, and I’m so sorry, Clarke,” he continued, as Clarke swallowed. She stopped fighting him, so he let go of her wrists, but didn’t move anything else. He stood close to her, as he pressed her against the wall.

“I hate you,” Clarke finally growled, tilting her head up to meet his eyes.

“No, you don’t,” Bellamy retorted, raising an eyebrow at her, as he braced his arm over her head against the wall. “You’ve saved my life twice now, Clarke. You could have let me die, and gotten out of this marriage without looking like you were just using this marriage to get Griffin Global. But, for some crazy reason, you care if I live or die,” he growled, right into Clarke’s ear.

Then, he felt Clarke’s hand on his chest. He blinked a few times, studying her face carefully. He sucked in a breath, as Clarke’s hand travelled up to cup his face, almost too tenderly.

Then, he felt her grab his hair, yanking his head back quickly. “Fuck,” he groaned, wincing at the sharp pain.

“Stop trying to play around in my head, Bellamy. You’ve already done enough damage,” she snapped before letting go.

“I’m sorry,” he pleaded, rubbing the back of his head.

“Not sorry enough,” Clarke growled, before hitting his chest again. Bellamy groaned, now crashing his body against hers again to keep her from hitting him. He wrestled with her hands for a few minutes, struggling to get a hold of her.

“You wouldn’t know how sorry I am because you won’t talk to me,” he yelled, grabbing her wrists with one hand, holding them over her head. Clarke turned her head, and Bellamy used his other hand to grip her face, turning her back to him. “Actually, you probably do know, because you’ve been watching me, Clarke. You’ve seen me cry myself to sleep over this. You saw me break down the night before our wedding. You know just how much I hated myself for what I was doing to you,” he growled, his face just inches away from hers. She swallowed, closing her eyes.

“Eyes open, Clarke,” he ordered, and her eyes flickered back open, but he couldn’t read them. “Talk to me.”

“I have nothing to say to you,” she snapped, her eyes defiant.

“Then, you can listen,” Bellamy said, not letting go of Clarke’s intense gaze. “I haven’t lied to you once since the night we buried Dax, Clarke. I’m done lying to you, and I’m done playing games. I’m just waiting for you to stop.”

He could see the wheels turning in Clarke’s head as she listened to him. Her face was still stern, still defiant. But, she was actually listening. Which meant that even if Clarke spent the next twelve hours beating the shit out of him, this was still worth it.

He wanted to remind her that he loved her, so much. But, every time he tried to say those words to her, she lashed out at him. She wasn’t ready to hear that, not yet.

“It was you that sent me the video of Raven and Finn, right?” she asked quietly, and Bellamy nodded. “And, you used me to make Pike think that Griffin Global was buying out Frontier Dynamics?” Bellamy nodded again, watching Clarke’s jaw clench.

“Clarke,” Bellamy whispered, pleading.

“Let go of me,” she ordered, her eyes closed gently.

“Are you going to hit me again?” he asked, his thumb trailing over her cheek slightly.

“Probably,” she snapped, and Bellamy let out a huff. Her eyes fluttered open, as she made a face he was becoming more and more familiar with. She was about to mess with his head. And, he was going to have to fight hard not to let her get into his head.

“Then, I’m not letting go.”

“Doesn’t it bother you that I lied to you too?” she said with a smirk, but Bellamy wasn’t going to engage. “That I said I love you too when you lied to me. That every time I fucked you or kissed you after that point, I knew it wasn’t real.” Bellamy swallowed, keeping his eyes fixed downward. If he met her eyes, he knew he would lose it. She was taunting him. “That I dragged you away from that art auction, telling you how badly I wanted you.”

Without thinking, his eyes flickered up, seeing a dark look in her eyes.

“That while you were fucking me against a wall and I was whispering that I loved you, Echo was stealing Monty’s IP address and Raven was bugging your house,” she continued, staring him down.

“Clarke, stop,” Bellamy warned through gritted teeth, feeling frustration and anger take over his body. She wasn’t going to get him to snap. He had to make sure of that.

“Make me,” she challenged, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at her. This was just another game to her, and Bellamy knew exactly how to shut her up. He crashed his mouth onto hers, his lips searing harshly against hers. He gripped her face even tighter, feeling the shocked reaction on her face. And, as his lips kept pressing into her, Clarke’s words snuck into his brain. She had those cameras in his house for a long time, since before she got kidnapped. Then, Bellamy had a realization, and pulled his lips off hers.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she growled, her brows furrowed at him.

“You had those cameras in my house while you were kidnapped. You’ve seen how I reacted,” Bellamy snapped, tilting her head up to forcing her to only look in his direction.

“You just felt guilty,” Clarke said flippantly.

“No, I was devastated,” he growled, narrowing his eyes at her. Could she really have seen his meltdown and have mistaken it for anything but heartbreak? She was there when he pleaded with her in the hospital, losing his shit when he couldn’t explain that he really loved her. “You know that it became real for me, don’t you?”

“You kept playing me,” she yelled, her body not fighting his anymore, but her eyes were still defiant. God, she was in such heavy denial. For half a second, Bellamy could see her resolve start to falter. There’s a small part of her that suspects or even hopes that his feelings were real… he could see it.

So, he crashed his lips back into hers, feeling her slowly give in to the kiss. He let go of her wrists, giving her the agency to actually push him away… but, she didn’t, which gave him some hope.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered against her lips, his eyes flickered up to meet hers. Then, her gaze dropped to his lips, and he felt chill shudder through his body. Clarke swallowed, moving her hands to grab the lapels of his coat.

“I’m still pissed at you,” she said, not looking up at him anymore.

“I know,” he replied with a slight smirk, because he could see her brain battling itself. On one hand, Clarke’s rage wasn’t done playing with Bellamy… but, on the other, she still wanted him. He could feel it.

Which is why he was confused when she shoved him into the file cabinet. But, before he could react, her lips were on his, moaning into his mouth as her hands unbuttoned his coat. He gripped her hair, pulling her as tightly against him as he could.

He was so overwhelmed by the feeling of Clarke, how she smelled, how soft her hair was, how it felt when her body melted against his. His tongue swirled inside her mouth, searching for hers. And when he found her tongue, he felt his entire body shudder.

Clarke started tugging off his coat, her lips moving down his neck. Bellamy tilted his head back, closing his eyes as he focused on the feeling of Clarke’s lips against his skin.

“Clarke,” he moaned, before tilting his head down to look at her. He moved his hands inside her unbuttoned coat, his fingers stroking her waist, as Clarke gently bit his collarbone.

“You’re wearing too much,” Clarke said huskily, as she tugged off her own coat, before throwing it onto the ground.

“Then, do something about it,” Bellamy challenged with a smirk, and Clarke narrowed her eyes at him. Her hands made fast work of undoing his belt, as she bit her lip. Bellamy ran his fingers through her hair, before tugging slightly, forcing her to look up at him. “You’re so sexy when you’re pissed,” he teased, and Clarke raised an eyebrow. She abandoned his belt, but didn’t move to undo his jeans. She swallowed, not taking her eyes off Bellamy, as she cupped his bulge through his jeans. Bellamy opened his mouth slightly, feeling his cock twitch at the almost contact.

“How about now?” she asked with a smirk.

“Never been sexier,” he said breathlessly. “Clarke, please.”

“Please what?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, her thumb now stroking up and down his erection through the fabric.

“Keep going,” he pleaded, and her lips twitched into a sly smile. But, her hand didn’t move. “Are you going to make me beg?” he asked, and Clarke pressed her lips together, tilting her head to the side to pretend like she was thinking about it. “Please, princess, don’t stop. I need you,” he begged, and Clarke started to undo his jeans. He held his breath as she tugged the zipper down, her eyes still focused on Bellamy’s. But, she was still playing with him, moving slowly to torture him.

Bellamy let out a growl, before pushing off the file cabinet, grabbing Clarke for another kiss. He flipped her around, pressing her into the cabinet. “You fucking tease,” he mumbled against her lips.

“What are you going to do about it?” Clarke teased, sliding her hand down Bellamy’s torso, stopping just above where he really wanted her. Bellamy gripped onto her hair, tilting her head back with a tug, as he pressed a biting kiss just below her jawline.

He kissed up to her ear, tugging on her lobe gently with his teeth. “I’m going to fuck you, Clarke,” he growled right into her ear, and he heard her suck in a breath. His hand slid down her shirt, as he unbuttoned the top of her jeans. He quickly snaked his hand inside her tight jeans and panties, cupping her warm mound. “God, you’re already wet for me, baby.”

“Bell,” Clarke whimpered, and Bellamy clenched his eyes shut, overwhelmed by the warm feeling he got in his chest at Clarke calling him that again.

“Should I tease you like you’ve been teasing me?” he whispered, voice low, before sucking just below her ear. He slowly worked a finger inside her, feeling her warmth immediately clench around him. His cock twitched at the memory of how good she felt around him.

“No, please,” she begged breathlessly.

“Then, tell me exactly what you want,” he ordered, before pressing a slow kiss to her lips. She whimpered into his mouth as he worked another finger inside her tight pussy.

“I want my husband to fuck me,” she growled against his lips, and a whimper escaped Bellamy’s lips at those words.

“Naked, now,” he ordered, as he stepped back to pull off his own shirt. Clarke kicked off her shoes, watching him closely, before pulling her jeans down her legs.

Bellamy got a chill as he felt the cold air his bare torso, and he really wished he had found a place to trap Clarke that had actual heating. He swallowed, as Clarke pulled her t-shirt off, exposing the beautiful cleavage that Bellamy loved so much. His jaw dropped slightly, trying to think back to the last time he saw Clarke like this.

He blinked a few times, before remembering to tug off his own pants. Clarke had crossed over to him, in nothing but her panties and black bra, sucking on his collarbone. “Fuck, Clarke,” he groaned, as he kicked off his pants. He pulled her in by her waist, his hands trying to touch every single inch of her as quickly as possible. Her skin was so pale and soft against his rough hands, although, he could see a few marks on her neck where he had been less than gentle with her.

“That’s the idea,” she teased, her hand cupping the bulge over his briefs. “Although, if you think you’re gonna fuck me on this ice-cold floor…” Bellamy pressed his lips against hers, interrupting whatever threat was about to flow off her lips. He unhooked her bra, tugging it off her as quickly as he could.

“Lie down on my coat, and I’ll keep you warm,” he said with a cheesy grin, and Clarke rolled her eyes, pushing off him, as she spread his coat out.

Before he knew it, he had Clarke on her back, as he palmed both her breasts, not even taking care to be gentle. Her nipples were already hard, probably from the cold in the air. Hell, he could see her breath in the air as she moaned. She arched her back, pressing her breasts up for him.

Bellamy wasted no time before sucking at one nipple, while his hand massaged her other breast.

“Bellamy, so help me God,” Clarke groaned, and he tilted his head up, his lips still latched onto her nipple. He raised an eyebrow at her, as he swirled his tongue around her nipple. “I need you inside of me, now,” she ordered, her breathing labored. Bellamy smirked as he slid up her body, before crashing his lips into hers.

“Right now?” he teased against her lips, before Clarke bit his bottom lip.

“Now,” she growled, as she gripped tightly on his hair, pulling his head away from her. Bellamy chuckled as he pulled away, so he could get his thumbs on either side of her panties.

She lifted her hips, her eyes focused on his, almost predatory… as she watched him pull off her panties. He swallowed, seeing Clarke completely bared to him, with so much desire in her eyes. He bit his lips as he fumbled to get his briefs off. Then, he climbed back on top of her, letting the head of his cock brush against her throbbing clit.

“Please,” she whined, throwing her head back with closed eyes.

“Eyes open, princess,” he ordered, and Clarke looked up at him, with a confused look. “I want you to watch me while I fuck you,” he growled, and Clarke bit her lip. He slowly pressed himself inside of her, keeping his eyes on hers as he did. He could have come at the sight of Clarke struggle to keep her eyes from fluttering shut once he was all the way inside of her.

He had almost forgotten how amazing it felt to be inside her, how her tight pussy clung to him like she needed him… how she struggled to keep her breathing under control as he thrust in and out of her.

As he lowered himself completely on top of her, she clung to him… her hands gripping onto his back, pulling him as close to her as she could. Her soft sighs against his lips as he pulled out of her, before thrusting back in slowly were too much, too beautiful, too Clarke. He crashed his lips into her, feeling her moans echo inside his own mouth.

Bellamy loved her so much, even when she had spent two weeks being furious with him, lashing out at him at every opportunity. All she had to do was say his name breathlessly, and Bellamy melted into her, his lips trying to kiss every inch of her as he thrust in and out of her. And, he was going to do whatever it took to keep her.

“Bellamy, fuck,” she whimpered, her hands now tangled up in his curls.

“You feel so good, sweetheart,” he moaned against her skin, having missed the taste of Clarke for too long. She tilted her hips up to buck against him, and Bellamy gripped tightly onto her waist to control himself at that sensation.

Clarke’s fingers made their way to his jawline, pulling his face back to her lips as she hungrily crashed her lips into his. Bellamy started to speed up his thrusts, moaning into her gorgeous mouth.

The cold air was long forgotten, when all he could think about was the heat radiating off Clarke’s beautiful, pale skin. He could feel her clenching around him, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before Clarke lost control.

“Clarke,” he whispered against her lips as she panted against his, her eyes still fixed on his, per his instructions.

“Yeah?” she asked, nodding slightly, her eyes screaming that she was desperate for more friction. He slammed even harder into her, earning a loud moan that almost turned into a scream.

“I need you to tell me something,” he continued, before pressing another kiss to her lips. She whimpered while nodding again, as Bellamy slowed down his thrusts. “That night, after you got home safely,” he started, and Clarke kept nodding, knowing exactly what he was referring to, “you said you loved me. Was that one real?”

In all his confusion over what was real versus what wasn’t when it came to Clarke, that was the one night he kept coming back to. As he remembered how Clarke clung to him, how she needed to feel him, how she looked at him with such tenderness… he kept telling himself that night had to be real. He felt it. It was the night he snuck back to when he had a hard time falling asleep, or when Clarke had said something particularly scathing to him. He needed that memory to be a real one.

He didn’t hesitate to crash his lips into hers as she nodded quickly, her eyes threatening tears. It wasn’t until he pulled away, that he realized a few tears escaped his own eyes. He ran his fingers through Clarke’s hair, before pressing a slow kiss to her lips.

She whimpered into his mouth, her hands clinging to his back, as he pounded into her, feeling her ragged breath as he did.

“Come on, Clarke,” he encouraged, his hand sliding down her stomach to her clit, rubbing it quickly. “Come for me, princess. You’re so gorgeous when you come for me,” he said as tenderly as he could, his voice sounding breathless.

“Bell,” she whispered, and he could see her fighting to keep her eyes open. He pushed her leg up, letting himself press deeper inside her. Then, he felt her pulse around him, as she bit her lip harshly. “Fuck,” she shouted, and he kept pounding into her.

“Good, princess. Come for me,” he murmured against her skin, peppering kisses around her face. Her eyes were still on his, as she chanted _fuck_ and _Bellamy_ and _please_ beautifully. Her lips were quivering when he pressed a kiss onto her lips, grunting into her mouth as he let himself fall apart.

He erupted into her as violently as he fell in love with her, feeling himself melt into her. And as he caught his breath against her neck, still inside her, feeling her fingers trace the freckles on his face, Bellamy swears this was the first moment he had ever felt peace.

 

“I didn’t start to fall for their bullshit until I ended up in that psychiatric hospital,” Clarke explained, her head resting against his chest. Bellamy was leaning back against the wall, now fully dressed again. As much as he would have loved to hold Clarke while naked, it was just too damn cold. So, he settled for her sitting between his legs, resting her head against him. “But, even when I started to believe the lies, little things would happen to remind me of what I actually remembered. Family friends would stop by and mention my dad or Mt. Weather, and things would start clicking again. I think that’s why they sent me to boarding school, to get me away from it all.”

Bellamy nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “And then, Marcus found you,” he transitioned, pretty sure he knew how this story went.

“And I imagine he gave me the same pitch he gave you when he found you a year later,” she said, and Bellamy suddenly realized why hearing when Marcus adopted him and Octavia set off an alarm in her head. “He wanted to figure out what all I remembered, to convince me I was right so that in a few years, I could help him take them down. But, I was thirteen and emotionally unstable, so that didn’t go over well.”

“Yeah, he said you shut down,” Bellamy replied, running his fingers through her hair.

“No, I got myself readmitted,” Clarke corrected, and Bellamy’s chest started to tighten. Marcus didn’t know that part, and neither did he. That wasn’t in Tsing’s records, probably because Clarke wasn’t near home at the time. God, Marcus was going to feel even more guilty when he found that out. “But, throughout high school, I kept having nightmares about that day. Then, when I turned eighteen, I got the rest of what my dad left specifically for me, which included his journal… which confirmed some parts of the story I remembered.”

“Is this where you found Marcus again?” he asked, and Clarke nodded. “What year was that?”

“2011,” she answered, and Bellamy thought back to that year. He had just finished his undergrad and moved back in with Marcus. It was around the time they decided to pick a mark within the family. Bellamy vaguely remembered Marcus coming home one day, extremely upset, and mildly drunk. Then, he decidedly announced that Wells would be the target and that Bellamy wasn’t to go near Clarke. “I tried to explain to him that I believed him, that I wanted to learn more about what happened.”

“But, he turned you away,” Bellamy finished that thought, recalling that Marcus had said she wasn’t well the last time he saw her.

“He told me that I needed to stay as far away as possible. That it was better if I didn’t know anything,” she said, looking up at Bellamy now, and his heart started to ache, seeing how painful it was for her to say. “So, I went to school far away from home and never reached out to him again.”

“Why did you fake going to med school?” he asked, and shock flashed across Clarke’s face. He smirked, realizing that there was something she didn’t know he knew about.

“Well, something happened a few days after my college graduation,” Clarke said, her voice catching slightly. Bellamy sat up, his brows furrowed with concern. “Someone who lost both his parents at Mt. Weather found me.”

“Who?” Bellamy asked, already making a mental list of who that could possibly be. There was a couple dozen people he could name who were orphaned by Mt. Weather, but he couldn’t figure out who would know enough to specifically find Clarke.

“That doesn’t matter. Anyway, some things went down, and it was the first time I realized how many people knew what my mother did… and might want to do something about it.”

“Clarke,” Bellamy said, eyes widening. God, she had to be only 22 when this happened, and probably terrified.

“So, I decided that instead of going home, I would disappear. I knew Marcus had a plan to make things right, and I just needed to stay out of the way until that happened.”

“Clarke, what happened?” he asked, not understanding why she was just brushing past that very crucial part of the story.

“Not important. So, I enlisted Echo to help me fake being in Polis. She has a friend who helps with that kind of thing, letting me completely disappear for a while.” Bellamy sighed, resting his head on top of hers. He knew better than to keep prying about what happened all those years ago. He couldn’t make Clarke say anything she wasn’t ready for. “Nobody would question not seeing me for a while if they all thought I was busy in med school.”

“You said you came back for Wells. Was that part true?” he asked, and Clarke nodded with a frustrated sigh.

“I didn’t plan on staying, and I tried to stay out of the Mt. Weather conspiracy… but then, you picked me as your mark,” she said, glancing up at Bellamy with a raised eyebrow.

“So, I ruined your plan,” Bellamy groaned and Clarke chuckled slightly.

“Of course, I didn’t know that for a while. I just thought you were a nice guy to spend time with while I stuck in Arkadia.”

“Makes me feel real special,” he teased, and Clarke elbowed him in the stomach.

“I didn’t start picking up on what was going on until that charity brunch. Pike struck me as weird, but then Tsing was too much of a coincidence. Both were on the list Marcus showed me back in 2006,” she continued, and Bellamy nodded along. If Marcus had mentioned to Bellamy up front that Clarke was aware of the list, Bellamy could have been more careful with how he took each name off it. But, as always, Marcus managed to leave out a very crucial detail in all the years of planning. “I called Marcus afterwards, but he quickly shut me down, saying that I was reading into things.”

Bellamy let out a huff, making a mental list of all the things he needed to chew him out about once he got out of this unit. He could see the light slowly break in through the cracks of the door. They only had a few hours left.

“Then, I had to give my statement to Shumway, who I immediately recognized. I saw Thelonious give him an envelope after Mt. Weather, which was probably a bribe. Never figured out what specifically for though,” she said with a shrug, and Bellamy nodded. So, that explained why Clarke went after Shumway later on.

“And then, a few days later, Marcus showed up at the dinner party,” Bellamy filled in, and Clarke nodded. “You figured out that Octavia and I were working with him, and that you were the mark.”

“No, I knew you two were working with him, but I had no idea you were using me as a mark yet. I didn’t work through that until I got back,” she said, and Bellamy furrowed his brows in confusion. She let out a sigh. “I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what you two were up to while I was gone, but I didn’t really get why you wasted your time with me. Then, I tried pulling away, and you just wouldn’t let me go.”

“And then, I said I loved you to try and get you to stop pulling away,” Bellamy said, closing his eyes as he threw his head backwards.

“And that was the moment I knew I was your mark,” Clarke said, smirking at him. Bellamy let out a groan, playing that night over in his head. He watched her on the feed, seeing a strange expression on her face as he said it. He should have known that she thought it was off. “So, I played along. I was pissed off, but also really wanted to get a better idea of what you were planning.”

“So, while I was using you as a way into your family, you were using me as a way to figure out what Marcus was planning.” Clarke started chuckling, and it was so warm and sincere, Bellamy felt himself start to melt all over again.

“I mean,” Clarke said, still chuckling, “Marcus did literally everything he could to keep me out of this, and I still managed to get dragged back into it. I shouldn’t have even been there the day we met.”

Bellamy found himself unexpectedly laughing at that. “It was ridiculous of him to think you could stay out of this.”

“Look at the lengths you two had to go to just to get me to talk,” Clarke said, gesturing around the storage unit.

“It was a little extreme,” Bellamy conceded, and Clarke furrowed her brows at him.

“A little?” she asked, before bursting out laughing. Bellamy buried his face into her hair, muffling his own laughter.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“You should be. I’m still pissed,” Clarke snapped, wagging a finger at him. Bellamy grabbed her hand, narrowing his eyes at her. Then, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Okay,” he whispered, really not that concerned that Clarke was mad at him. Nothing could compare to the fury he had already had to deal with.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. Bellamy wished he could say he was actually sorry for tricking Clarke into coming here, but he wasn’t. Because, here she was, pressed against him, telling him secrets that she probably would have taken to her grave otherwise. And, it was the longest he had been with her since the wedding.

As much as he hated to admit it, he had missed her so much.

“Clarke, I do have a question,” Bellamy said suddenly, bracing himself for her answer.

“You want to know what she told him on the phone, right?” Clarke asked, looking over her shoulder up at him. He nodded, biting the inside of his mouth, listening patiently an answer he had been waiting eighteen years for. “The man that the police pinned the bombing on… they had both known him.”

“Sinclair?” Bellamy asked, raising his eyebrows, and Clarke nodded quickly.

“My dad and Aurora had accidentally set him up, following some suggestion from Thelonious. I wished I remembered more of the specifics,” Clarke said apologetically, but that was a greater lead than Bellamy had found in years.

“It’s okay,” Bellamy said, smiling slightly.

“She didn’t know what they were planning though,” Clarke reassured, turning herself around so she didn’t have to strain her neck to look at him. She grabbed both his hands with hers, looking at him sincerely. “Neither of them did. And they were both on their way to confess… to make things right.”

Bellamy pressed his head into Clarke’s shoulder, letting out a relieved sigh. Of course, his mother’s last act on this earth was a righteous one. Even though Marcus had assured him for years that she was innocent, there was still a little bit of doubt in Bellamy’s mind. After all, she worked at Griffin Global. But, this confirmation from Clarke was all Bellamy needed to let the doubt disappear for good.

He sat there for a few moments in silence, listening to the sound of Clarke’s breathing as she rubbed his shoulder. “She would have loved you,” Bellamy confessed as he sat up, rubbing his eye slightly. Clarke’s face melted slightly at that, her lips almost pouting in response.

“He wouldn’t have liked you at first,” Clarke said with a slight chuckle, and Bellamy tilted his head, waiting for her to finish that thought so he wouldn’t get offended. “But, you would have crept up on him,” she continued, with a slight smirk. Bellamy threw his head back in mock frustration, biting his lip slightly.

After a few moments, Clarke’s playful mood shifted back into sadness, and Bellamy leaned forward, rubbing her arm reassuringly. He didn’t know what was going on in that head of hers, but it concerned him.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” Clarke said suddenly, looking down at her hands. Bellamy grabbed her hand, wanting her to see that he was still with her, even if she wouldn’t look up at him. “It’s about Octavia.”

Bellamy’s chest started to tighten at those words. “Clarke.”

“She can’t stay in Arkadia,” she whispered, not looking up at Bellamy.

“I know,” he said, his heart aching at that confession. It had been in his head for days, ever since Octavia confessed she was pregnant.

“If Thelonious ever figures out what you’re up to, he wouldn’t hesitate to hurt someone you care about just to hurt you. He’s done it before,” Clarke explained, shaking her head slightly.

“Clarke, I know. And, Octavia wants out anyway,” he said, and that caused Clarke’s head to tilt up toward him, as she searched his face. She looked pained as she studied him, and he was sure he looked miserable in this moment. Because, he was. He knew he had to say goodbye to his sister, and that he wouldn’t see her again until this was all over.

“I can make her disappear like I did. She and Lincoln could go find a happy corner of the world to be safe in, and if anyone tried to find her, they would just find a series of dead ends,” she said, and Bellamy nodded. “Um, I already have new documents for both of them, with new names and passports.” Bellamy blinked a few times, as he studied her face. He let out a breath, smiling slightly. Clarke had been looking out for Octavia, even while she was still pissed at him.

“Thank you,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers, letting out a sigh of relief.

 

The exhaustion didn’t hit Bellamy until Marcus opened the door. The daylight was blinding to him, and Clarke looked just as annoyed.

“Oh good, she didn’t murder you,” Marcus said with a smirk.

“Maybe I’m saving my bullets for you,” Clarke snapped, and Marcus let out a groan, gesturing for them to get out.

“Marcus, I’ll meet you in the car,” Bellamy said, gesturing for Marcus to give them a moment. Marcus rolled his eyes, before heading over toward the car.

“Something more to say after spending thirteen hours straight with me?” Clarke teased, and Bellamy pressed his lips together. He smiled slightly, putting his hands in his pockets as he looked down in the ground.

“Since the beginning, O has been my partner in all of this,” he said, voice trembling slightly.

“I know,” Clarke said, and he could feel her eyes staring at him.

“I can’t do this alone, Clarke,” he said, finally looking up at her. Her eyes melted slightly as he gazed at her desperately. “I know that everything isn’t perfect between us. I have no idea where we will be when all of this is over.”

“Bellamy.”

“I need a partner in this, and I need it to be you,” he pleaded, placing his hands on both sides of Clarke’s face as he looked down into her blue eyes. “I need you.”

“And, you have me,” Clarke said with a weak smile, and Bellamy thought his heart would explode with relief.


	16. Allegiance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! I'm so glad you guys had such a positive response to last chapter. It's easily the chapter I've been the most excited about. 
> 
> Anyways, this chapter's got some smut, and the first meeting of "The Revengers" 
> 
> Love you guys! Thanks for all the positive vibes you've been throwing my way. I've got some more drama coming at you guys, real soon.

Bellamy poured himself another glass, before leaning back down to pack up another box. Just hours ago, he had to say goodbye to Octavia… and he had no idea when he would see her again. Or even if he would ever see her again.

The whole ordeal was giving horrible flashbacks to eighteen years ago, when just days after he lost his mother, Octavia was ripped from him as well. It was next to impossible to keep in touch with her, and he once went almost two years without hearing her voice.

Which is how Bellamy found himself completely drunk midafternoon as he packed up anything that reminded him of his sister, so that he didn’t constantly have breakdowns while walking in his own home.

“Bellamy,” he heard Clarke’s sweet voice say, as he laid out on his living room floor, wondering why the fuck he installed the most hideous ceiling fan in existence.

“Will you take me to Home Depot?” Bellamy asked, narrowing his eyes at the fan, trying to figure out if it was supposed to beige or a really weird-looking off-white.

“Okay, I need you to sit up for me,” she said, and Bellamy saw her crouch down next to him, kicking off her heels. Her legs were right behind Bellamy’s head, and she was looking down at him with a concerned look on her face.

“Hi, Clarke,” he said, waving to her, and she let out a groan.

“Hi, Bellamy,” she said, almost patronizingly, and Bellamy scrunched his face up. Clarke tried to push him to sit up, but Bellamy got dizzy every time he sat up. So, he just turned on his side and put his head in her lap. God, she was so fucking warm. Then, he closed his eyes, feeling her soft fingers in his hair. Fuck, it felt so nice.

“I’m sorry I’m drunk,” he mumbled into her skirt, and he heard Clarke let out a sigh.

“It’s okay,” she reassured, her other hand scratching his back. And even though Bellamy felt like he was in Hell for most of the day, he suddenly felt like he was in Heaven.

“You are so warm, princess,” he murmured, letting out a lazy sigh.

“Bellamy, you did the right thing. She’s safer this way,” Clarke reassured, and Bellamy bit his lip. He didn’t want to think about Octavia. The only comfort he had there was that Lincoln loved her, and that he’d do anything to protect her.

“I don’t like saying goodbye to her,” he confessed, as Clarke pulled up the back of his shirt to scratch his back even better.

“I know,” he heard Clarke whisper, but there was no way she actually knew how much he didn’t like saying goodbye to her.

“No, Clarke,” Bellamy mumbled, forcing himself to sit up. He felt Clarke’s hands on his waist as he swayed slightly, narrowing his eyes at Clarke until she blurred into focus. “My sister, my responsibility,” he stuttered out, before burying his face into her neck. And, fuck, Clarke smelled so good.

“Okay, let’s get you to bed,” Clarke whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Bellamy let out a groan, because it was still daylight out. He shouldn’t be falling asleep this early. He was fine.

“No, I’m fine,” he argued, pulling himself off Clarke, but losing his balance as he did. Fuck, he might have drunk too much.

“Bed, now,” she ordered in a stern voice, and Bellamy couldn’t help but giggle. He loved Clarke so much, especially when she was being bossy. It was really hot.

“Make me,” he said, before pressing a sloppy kiss to Clarke’s cheek. She let out an exasperated sigh, as Bellamy rested his head on her shoulder.

“What’ll it take for you to get in bed?” she asked, groaning slightly. He sat up immediately, grinning like an idiot.

“You have to sleep in my bed tonight,” he said, tilting his head as he furrowed his brows at her, trying to be just as bossy as she was. Clarke nodded, before moving to stand up, holding out her hands to help Bellamy up.

He grinned the whole way to his room, as Clarke helped him stumble down the hallway. It had been three days since the night at the storage unit, and she still hadn’t moved back into his room. And, he was just drunk enough to let himself ask for her to come back to him. He wasn’t sure what was making Clarke keep her distance still, after everything that happened that night. Perhaps it was the same part of her that was too scared to admit she loved him that felt the need to keep boundaries.

But, Bellamy let himself be selfish today. He just wanted his Clarke again.

He woke up a few hours later to hear Clarke come in, now out of her work clothes. Her hair was still curled slightly, but messier, and her makeup was gone.

“Clarke,” he whispered, rubbing his eyes, as she climbed into bed next to him. She was just wearing an over-sized t-shirt, looking about as exhausted as Bellamy felt as she curled up next to him.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, looking up to meet his gaze.

“Sober again,” he reassured, and Clarke let out a sweet chuckle. “Thank you, for taking care of me.”

“Well, I couldn’t leave you lying out in the living room. I wanted to watch Scandal tonight,” she teased, poking his chest.

“Fuck you,” he muttered, burying his face into her neck.

“Are you okay?” she whispered, and he felt her fingers brushing through his curls.

“No,” he confessed, before pressing a kiss to Clarke’s jawline. Outside this room, Bellamy tried his best to put on a brave face. He told Octavia that this was for the best and that he would be okay without her. He told Jasper and Monty that everything was going to be okay. He told Marcus that he had a plan to get them back on track. He had to do this. They all looked to him for answers and for strength. When they wavered, he was there to remind them why they kept fighting.

But, in here… he had Clarke in his arms in the dark, and he let himself admit that nothing was okay. That he was heartbroken by Octavia leaving. That he was coming to terms with the fact that he might not make it out of this alive, especially since Jaha had no problem with threatening to kill him just to keep Clarke in line. That there was a possibility that they would fail.

“I’ve got you,” Clarke reassured, peppering his face with kisses. He blinked a few times, looking at her tired, concerned blue eyes. “What do you need?”

He let out a soft chuckle, tucking his face into her neck. His princess was always the problem-solver, looking to fix whatever was wrong. He dreaded the day she realized she couldn’t fix him.

“Just you,” he mumbled, breathing her in.

“Bellamy,” she whispered, her hands now resting on both sides of his face, her thumb stroking his cheek. He glanced up at her, feeling his chest tighten at how she looked at him. He pressed a slow kiss to her lips, almost expecting her to jerk away. But, she stayed right there and kissed him back.

“Clarke, can I?” he asked, almost desperately, as he pressed a few slow kisses to her jawline. He felt her nod, and he moaned against her skin. He rolled her onto her back, feeling her fingers massage his scalp as he kissed down her throat. She swallowed and Bellamy closed his eyes, savoring the sound of Clarke’s little sighs.

He fumbled with her panties, still a little bit drunk, he realized. But, once they were off, Bellamy slowly slid inside of her, burying his face into her neck.

“So perfect, princess,” he murmured against her skin, pressing slow kisses as he gently thrust in and out of her.

“That’s it, Bell,” Clarke encouraged, her voice sounding like velvet as she whispered into his ear. “God, you feel so good inside of me.”

Bellamy gripped her hip a little tighter, as he tried to press himself deeper into her.

“Yeah, just like that. Feels so good, Bell,” Clarke moaned, and Bellamy sucked at her pulse point, addicted to how her voice sounded when it would catch. He focused on how tight and warm she was around him, moaning against her skin like this was his only safe place on this earth.

“I need you, Clarke,” he confessed into her ear, before kissing it a little too sloppily. He could barely make out her sweet smile in the darkness, but the sight was enough to spread a warmth through his chest.

“I’m yours,” she reassured, her face looking serious. Bellamy pressed his lips to hers again, feeling her moan into his mouth as he thrust harder into her.

If he wasn’t so sleepy or still kind of drunk, he would tell her something beautiful about how much he loves her. About how holding onto her tonight was everything to him.

Or maybe that she was the reason he wasn’t just fighting for the past anymore. He was fighting for his future too.

But, he couldn’t form the perfect words for her right now, and he wasn’t about to spill out some unperfect speech for his Clarke. So, he tried to show her.

His lips were everywhere, as he kissed her neck, her cheeks, her forehead, her beautiful lips. He chased the tender moans dripping from her lips as eagerly as he could, desperate for her to moan for him again.

“Come on, Bell. Come for me,” she pleaded, as Bellamy gripped harder on her hips at those words, trying to brace himself. “I like feeling you come in me. Please.”

But, Bellamy couldn’t. Not until he felt her come for him. He sped up his thrusts, letting his fingers find her clit. She sucked in a breath as he started rubbing.

“Clarke, please,” he whispered breathlessly. He just wanted to hear her moan his name a few more times. It was such a beautiful sound, and he missed it so fucking much.

“Bell,” she moaned, her hips twitching slightly, and he smiled into her skin. He had her.

“Let go, princess,” he begged, as he felt her pulse around him.

“Bellamy, fuck, Bell,” she moaned softly, throwing her head back. Bellamy pressed his lips against hers, feeling her moans vibrate through his mouth. She wasn’t as loud as she always was, but he kind of loved it. Like she was only moaning for his ears. And, for a moment, it felt like it was only them in this world.

He came undone inside her quickly, feeling her arms clutch around his back tightly… like maybe she also needed someone to hold onto.

And, as he started to drift back to sleep, he rested his head on Clarke’s chest, wrapping himself around her. Bellamy let himself cling to her, let himself imagine that they were just a normal married couple. That his biggest problem was that he hated his ceiling fan and that Clarke wanted to remodel the kitchen, even though it’s fine the way it was.

 

“Is Raven here yet?” Echo snapped, storming into their house without even a hello.

“You’re the first one here,” Clarke groaned, holding out her hands before Echo threw her coat onto her.

“Fuck, I need her to fix my phone,” Echo muttered, pulling out her phone. Bellamy sucked in a breath, realizing there was a bullet hole in her phone. He glanced over at Clarke with a terrified look on his face, but she was completely unfazed by this. He swallowed, wondering what the hell he just got himself into.

“She’s not the damn Geek Squad. She doesn’t have time for your shit,” Clarke snapped, hanging Echo’s coat up in the closet. Echo finally noticed Bellamy, giving him an aggressive once over.

“So, are we keeping your first husband?” she asked, smirking at Bellamy.

“Echo, play nice!” Clarke shouted.

“You must have like a really big dick,” Echo said, sizing him up. Bellamy swallowed, looking over his shoulder at Clarke, wanting some kind of assistance with Echo… who he still knew almost nothing about.

“Echo, stop harassing Bellamy,” she snapped, storming back into the room with an eyebrow raised at Echo. Bellamy let out a huff, walking into the kitchen, smirking as he heard Clarke whisper, “But, yeah, he does.”

Then, he heard the front door swing open, and immediately rushed back into the room. Jasper and Monty both looked at Echo with mild terror in their eyes as they slowly closed the door behind them.

“Maybe this Geek Squad will help me,” Echo muttered, before Clarke smacked her on the back of the head.

“Uh, hi. I’m Jasper and this is Monty,” Jasper said timidly, and Echo leaned back in her chair, gesturing for him to come sit next to her. Clarke leaned down to whisper something in Echo’s ear, which caused her to groan loudly.

“Hey, uh, Clarke, you’re not mad at us for helping trap you in that storage unit, right?” Monty asked, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s jaw twitch slightly. He shot her a stern look, reminding her that Monty was just following Bellamy’s orders, and she calmed down and plastered a sweet smile on her face.

“Of course not,” she reassured, tapping her fingers on the back of Echo’s chair. Bellamy let out a sigh, before seeing Raven knock on the door. He waved her in, sucking in a breath.

“Bitch, fix my phone,” Echo shouted, hurling her phone at Raven, who caught it quickly. Then, she burst out laughing as she examined the cracked screen.

“Please don’t tell me this hunk of junk was the only thing keeping you from getting shot,” Raven muttered, as she turned the phone around, looking almost amused as she evaluated the damage.

“Not all heroes wear capes,” Echo teased, propping her feet up on Bellamy’s kitchen table. He bit his lip, raising an eyebrow at Clarke.

“Let her be. Tonight will only be more painful if you keep getting onto her,” Clarke whispered, patting Bellamy on the shoulder. He let out a groan, sitting down next to Echo so he could keep a close eye on her. He could probably grow to trust Raven, especially because he actually knew something about her. But, Clarke specifically avoided telling him anything useful about Echo, and it didn’t help that Bellamy knew Echo was adept at cleaning up murders.

Then, Marcus walked in. Bellamy sucked in a breath, watching Clarke and Marcus glare at each other for a few moments. He knew that as angry as Clarke was with Bellamy, she was almost as furious with Marcus. At least with Bellamy, she had just met him. But, as it turns out, Clarke’s problems with Marcus go back decades.

“Oh, good. Full squad is here,” Raven muttered, raising an eyebrow at Marcus who sat at the end of the table, opposite of Echo.

“Should we introduce each other like they do in AA?” Jasper joked, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at him. But, Echo apparently found this hilarious.

“Hi, I’m Echo, and I have three different weapons on my person right now,” she said with a smirk, beaming right at Bellamy, who felt incredibly tense.

“Hi, Echo,” Monty joked, and Clarke let out a sigh. Clarke leaned down to whisper something into Raven’s ear, which made Raven furrow her eyebrows. Bellamy swallowed, curious as to what they could be talking about.

“Okay, I’m assuming you have a gun on you, but what are the other two weapons?” Jasper asked with an excited look on his face, and Bellamy groaned, not wanting to encourage Echo. Echo smirked, pulling out a pocket knife, and two guns.

“Did you come here to kill us?” Monty asked, eyes wide.

“Oh, don’t worry. Clarke is here. I can’t kill you,” Echo explained, and Bellamy furrowed his eyebrows, glancing back at Clarke who seemed to be distracted with something Raven was showing her on her phone. Then, he looked back at Echo. “Here, let me demonstrate,” Echo said, flipping open her pocket knife and started to move toward Jasper. Then, Bellamy heard someone cock their gun. He glanced back at Clarke, seeing her raise her eyebrows at Echo with a warning look on her face, aiming her gun right at Echo.

“Echo, put them away,” Clarke warned, jaw clenching.

“See?” Echo explained, not seeming worked up about the fact that Clarke looked ready to pull the trigger. She put the knife away and tucked it back into her pocket. “Clarke would put two bullets in my skull before you even drew blood.”

“That’s oddly comforting,” Monty said, watching Clarke as she lowered her arm.

“Okay, I feel like this meeting is getting off to a rough start,” Marcus interjected, slamming his hands on the table.

“Right, so we are all here because we are now working together,” Bellamy announced, eyeing Echo closely as she put her gun away. Clarke sat down next to him, patting his thigh reassuringly. “Which means that we all need to be open about what we know and what we’ve been up to,” Bellamy continued, raising an eyebrow at Echo.

“But…” Clarke reminded him, and he let out a breath.

“Right. So, we all know that Octavia left,” he explained, seeing grim faces from his friends. “I wanted to offer you guys a chance to get out, no explanation necessary. Things have changed, and the stakes are higher. And, if that is enough for anyone to want to leave, that’s perfectly okay.”

“Well, I got out a long time ago, and I’ve always regretted it. So, I’m not going anywhere,” Marcus said, crossing his arms as he leaned back.

“You idiots need me if this is going to work, so I’m sticking around,” Raven said with a smirk, and Bellamy saw Clarke roll her eyes. He glanced over at Monty, who he thought was the most likely to step away from this.

“We’ve come too far,” Monty said with a shrug, and Bellamy let out a sigh of relief. He glanced over at Jasper, whose lips were pressed together.

“Gotta do this for Maya,” he said, and Bellamy swallowed, feeling his chest pang at the mention of her name.

“And it’s not like there’s anyone left I love for me to lose anyway,” Echo muttered, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at her, his brain working in overdrive to try and figure out what happened to Echo.

“Thanks a lot, bitch,” Clarke snapped, and Echo rolled her eyes, before narrowing them at Clarke.

“You knew what this was,” Echo said with a smirk. “So, it sounds like we’re all in, assuming Bonnie and Clyde aren’t running off,” she continued, giving Bellamy another once over.

“Okay, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable with working with Raven and Echo. We know basically nothing about them,” Marcus snapped, and Echo let out a loud groan, resting her head on the table. Bellamy shot Marcus a warning look.

“Well, you know I’m better than your boys here, and I’m the only person who can get you back on those feeds,” Raven replied with a smug grin, and Clarke stifled a laugh. “I also hacked into all of your phones and computers, and bugged this house.”

Marcus’ eyes widened as he stared Bellamy down, as if to ask if Bellamy really trusted her. Which, to be fair, he didn’t. But, Clarke did. “I’m not agreeing to this until some of my questions are answered,” Marcus announced stubbornly.

“Hit us up, silver fox,” Echo said with a smug grin, and Clarke shot her a warning look.

“How did you get your hands on A.L.I.E.?” he asked Raven, as she pressed her lips together.

“Clarke offered her a handsome sum for it, and Becca took it because Jaha had been hunting her down for a while and she needed some money if she wanted to disappear,” Raven explained, flexing her fingers as she spoke. “Unfortunately for her, we might have used the program to frame her for an act of cyber terrorism that she didn’t actually have anything to do with. But, you know, karma is a bitch sometimes.”

Bellamy blinked a few times, staring at Clarke for some kind of explanation.

“Don’t get mad at Clarke. She asked us to take care of her and didn’t realize she needed to be more specific,” Echo jumped in, and Clarke let out a huff. “Plus, she was kind of preoccupied at the time making a plan to destroy you and silver fox over there.”

“My name is Marcus,” he snapped, hitting his fist on the table as he spoke.

“Where was Clarke for those two years?” Monty jumped in.

“That’s my business,” Clarke replied quickly, almost daring anyone to ask anything else on the subject.

“Who killed Emerson?” Marcus asked, and Bellamy had completely forgotten about him.

“Echo,” Clarke answered, and Echo threw her hands up angrily.

“Clarke murdered Dax,” Echo snapped, eyeing Clarke aggressively. Bellamy saw both Jasper and Monty’s eyes widen in terror.

“Dax was going to kill Bellamy,” Clarke explained to the boys, but that did little to calm them.

“Why the fuck did Echo kill Emerson?” Marcus shouted, getting them back on the subject.

“She wasn’t supposed to,” Clarke said with gritted teeth, narrowing her eyes at Echo. Bellamy was uncomfortable with how much Clarke challenged Echo, especially knowing that Echo was a murderer. But, then again, so was Clarke. And so was he. In fact, almost everyone at this table had killed someone at one point in time. “What? Your orders were to bring him back to me alive.”

“I got a little trigger happy,” Echo shrugged. “Besides, we already know Jaha hired him anyway.” Bellamy swallowed, glancing over at Clarke, who nodded. He shot Marcus a warning look before he corrected them, because it was clear that Clarke had no idea that Emerson was her mother’s hit man. Which meant she didn’t know that her mother ordered her father’s murder. He would tell her, of course. But, in a safer environment, just the two of them, so he could try to control her reaction.

“How can you be so calm about the fact that you killed someone?” Marcus asked, his voice extremely judgmental.

“What’s it like up on your high horse?” Echo asked with a smirk.

“Yeah, a little judgmental coming from the people whose reckless plan to take out Wallace resulted in Clarke almost getting beaten to death by Cage,” Raven snapped, glaring at Marcus, whose mouth was now firmly shut. Bellamy glanced over at Clarke, who had a grim expression on her face at that memory. He reached over to grab her hand, and she flinched at the contact. He pulled away quickly, before Clarke let out a sigh, and reached over and grabbed his hand. He just startled her.

“Um, so what is going on with Pike?” Monty asked, changing the subject, and Bellamy let out a relieved sigh.

“Well, he was found dead in prison today. A guard murdered him,” Marcus muttered, tapping his fingers on the table. Bellamy glanced around the table, noticing Raven, Clarke, and Echo suddenly looking evasive.

“Clarke?” Bellamy asked, really hoping that she didn’t have anything to do with that.

“Charles Pike isn’t dead,” she explained, keeping her eyes fixed on her hands. “I have him.”

“What?” Monty shouted.

“Oh my God, your wife is basically Al Capone,” Jasper said, banging his hands on the table.

“Please, I wouldn’t get busted for tax evasion,” Clarke blew that off, still not making eye contact with Bellamy. He tapped the table, raising an eyebrow at her. They had an agreement… no more secrets. Then, Clarke finally met his eyes with an apologetic look in her eyes. “That plan was already in place,” she shrugged, before glancing over at Echo.

“Yeah, so I have a guy on the inside who helped me out. Basically, the world thinks he’s dead now, which means that Jaha no longer has to worry on Pike snitching on him. Except now Pike’s my bitch,” Echo smirked, and Bellamy turned back to look at Clarke.

“In exchange for being out of prison, he’s going cooperate with us,” Clarke explained, and Bellamy swears he saw Marcus smile slightly.

“So, you putting him in prison was for what, exactly?” Monty asked, clearly wondering if Clarke just did that to deter suspicion from her when it came to Dax’s murder.

“He needed to know that I could ruin his life,” Clarke said with a smug grin, leaning back in her chair. “Now, he’s at our mercy. If he crosses us, I can send him back there, or worse.”

“What is worse?” Jasper asked, eyes wide.

“Well, I might have threatened to murder his kids,” Echo jumped in, and Clarke shot her a warning look. “I’m not actually going to do it!” Echo snapped at her, and Clarke let out a huff.

“Oh my God, what have we gotten ourselves into...” Marcus muttered, and Raven started chuckling.

“Should have done your dumb plan right the first time, or we wouldn’t be here,” Echo replied smugly, and Marcus narrowed his eyes, looking around the table, before stopping on Clarke. Clarke raised an eyebrow at him, almost challenging him.

Bellamy swallowed, knowing that Marcus hated this arrangement. Before, Marcus had a good deal of control over the execution of the plan. But now, Clarke was quietly taking over, bringing with her two people that Marcus and Bellamy had no idea how to work with. But, at least it seemed like Clarke had a decent leash on Echo, ignoring the murder of Emerson, of course. And, Raven didn’t seem actively malicious. Just a little intense.

“So, Al Capone, what’s your new plan?” Marcus asked, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s jaw twitch, as she leaned over the table.

“Well, you’re going to have a starring role in it,” she said sweetly, and Bellamy sucked in a breath. Marcus was going to hate this plan. “You see, we need to separate Thelonious and my mother.”

“A house divided cannot stand, and all that,” Raven jumped in, and Bellamy noticed that Monty quickly picked up where they were going with this. He almost chuckled, knowing just how much Marcus was going to hate it.

“And how do I have a starring role in this?” Marcus asked, tilting his head as his eyes stayed fixed on Clarke.

“Well, my mom is having a hard time right now. Her husband doesn’t love her and she’s been fighting with her daughter a lot,” Clarke started, and Bellamy saw Marcus’ face falter. “But, I recently came back to her to clear the air, saying that after talking to you, I realized how important our relationship is. She probably feels really indebted to you at the moment.”

“Clarke,” Marcus warned.

“She really needs someone like you, to support her,” Clarke continued with a wicked grin. “In fact, I’m sure if you two resume your relationship, it would be enough to push the divorce threats through.”

“I am not whoring myself out, Clarke,” Marcus shouted, and Clarke looked over her shoulder, raising her eyebrows at Bellamy.

“Marcus, on the chess board, who is the fiercest protector of the king?” Bellamy said, leaning forward on the table.

“The queen,” Marcus muttered, narrowing his eyes back at Bellamy. The irony of the situation was almost priceless, especially since Marcus had no problem when it was Wells they were going to use… and he was an innocent.

“So, we need to take her out,” Bellamy snapped, but Marcus still wasn’t seeing it.

“My mom isn’t stupid. Before she got kicked out of Griffin Global, she would have gotten all the evidence she needed to destroy Thelonious. I have no idea where she’s keeping it, of course. But, it would be more likely to resurface if she needed leverage against him,” Clarke said, and Bellamy could see it click in Marcus’ head.

“Jaha is going out of town for a few days this week, which would be an excellent time for you to just casually stop by the house,” Raven said, reading off the phone. Marcus nodded, biting his lip.

“So, the plan is to just wait for Marcus to be a homewrecker?” Jasper asked, and Echo snorted, patting Jasper on the shoulder as she kept laughing. Jasper smirked to himself, looking giddy that someone was humoring him.

“Well, you two and Raven are going to keep up with what’s going on at The Ark,” Bellamy explained with a sigh. “Clarke is slowly getting pushed out, as Wells is back now. And, Jaha just hired Finn Collins… which I find really suspicious.”

“I’m on Finn duty,” Raven says with a smirk, and Clarke chuckled at that.

“Although, Finn is straight up trying to bang your wife,” Echo said, and Bellamy let out an involuntary groan.

“Which is surprising given how she got rid of him last time,” Raven said with a chuckle, crossing her arms as she leaned back. Bellamy raised an eyebrow at Clarke, who was smirking to herself at the memory. He still didn’t know what exactly she did to him.

“Now, who exactly is working with Pike?” Bellamy asked Clarke, deciding to pester her about Finn later.

“Well, Echo is kind of taking the lead on that,” Clarke said hesitantly, and Bellamy’s eyes widened at her. He knew that for some strange reason Clarke actually trusted Echo… but he wasn’t close to being there yet. It was Echo, for fuck’s sake.

“Don’t even think about suggesting that Clarke takes this over,” Echo snapped, and Bellamy shot her a glare. “What? Last time Clarke saw him, he provoked her into bashing his head into a wall.” Bellamy whipped his head around to glare at Clarke, wondering why the fuck she hadn’t talked to him about Pike in the days since the storage unit incident.

“He’s fine,” Clarke said defensively, and Bellamy swallowed, deciding that this was a conversation to have once everyone left.

“Will you keep your cool around Pike?” Bellamy growled at Echo, who nodded smugly.

“I have no emotional attachment to his punishment anyway. I won’t kill him,” Echo reassured, and for some reason, Bellamy believed her.

 

“What did he say to you, Clarke?” Bellamy growled, as soon as the door shut behind Marcus.

“Stop,” Clarke muttered, walking into the kitchen.

“Clarke,” he shouted, as he jogged after her. “I know Pike said something to make you snap. Was it something about your dad or your mom or what?”

“We’ll talk about this later,” Clarke pleaded, as she pulled out a glass from the cabinet.

“No, you kept it from me that you had Pike, and now I find out that he made you so angry that you bashed his head into a wall. What did he say?” Bellamy growled, forcing Clarke to turn around and look at him.

“That he should have hired someone more competent than Dax to finish the job,” Clarke yelled, but Bellamy didn’t understand right away. Then, it clicked. It really was Pike that hired Dax to kill him.

“Clarke, you can’t let him get in your head,” Bellamy reassured, stepping forward to cup her face in his hand. She swallowed, not looking him in the eyes.

“Easier said than done,” Clarke whispered, and Bellamy let out a sigh.

“He didn’t succeed. I’m still alive. You have to let it go,” Bellamy pleaded.

“Cage didn’t succeed either,” Clarke replied, narrowing her eyes at Bellamy. “If he were alive today, could you honestly say that you would behave calmly around him?”

Bellamy swallowed, shuddering at the thought of Cage still being around. “No,” Bellamy confessed, clenching his jaw. “I would break every bone in his body before burning him alive,” he growled, and Clarke’s palms found their way to his chest.

“That’s what I thought,” she whispered with a sly grin, and Bellamy let out a sigh. He got her point. Clarke stood up on her tiptoes, before pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

“Remind me to never let you out of my sight ever again,” Bellamy muttered, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Well, I put another tracker on my charm bracelet, in case I ever do go missing again,” Clarke replied, and Bellamy let out a huff. Now, she concedes that was a good idea. Too bad Bellamy wasted part of a day chasing around a damn cat when she didn’t want him keeping up with her. “And, I’d like it if you started wearing the watch again,” Clarke said with a pout.

“So you can spy on me?” he teased.

“So I can find you,” Clarke said, looking almost small as she pleaded with him. Bellamy bit his lip, as he studied her vulnerable face. “I mean,” she said, her tone changing into a teasing one, “I can save your life again, but I’ve got to be able to find you to do that.”

“You’re never gonna let that go, are you?” he asked, smirking down at her.

“Nope,” she said smugly, as she pulled away, almost skipping out of the kitchen.

“Wait, Clarke,” Bellamy said, following after her, noticing her start to move toward the stairs. She glanced back at him, tilting her head in confusion.

He had kind of hoped that after last night, she would fall back into sleeping in his bedroom… or that they would both start considering it their bedroom. But, maybe it was just habit that had her heading upstairs.

“What’s wrong?” Clarke asked, her brows furrowed in concern.

“Would you sleep down here tonight?” he asked hesitantly, worried that he was crossing a line by asking this of her. He was drunk last night, so he didn’t really consider whatever reasons she had for keeping a bit of distance. But, he was so happy this morning, waking up with her hair spread out across his chest. And, he slept so much better when he knew she was safe with him.

Clarke’s lips parted slightly, her face unreadable. Then, she blinked a few times, glancing at the stairs and then back at him. She was battling something in her head, but Bellamy was desperate for the part of her that wanted him to win this time.

“Yeah, okay,” Clarke said with a small smile, and Bellamy felt like his heart was going to pound itself out of his chest.

 

He clung to her again that night, not as tightly as before, but firmly enough to reassure himself that she was really here.

“Are you okay?” Bellamy whispered into her hair, and Clarke nodded, her eyes closed. “It’s okay if you’re not.”

“Bellamy, I’m fine,” she murmured, and Bellamy placed a kiss to her forehead.

“You can talk to me about anything,” he whispered, pulling her closer into his chest.

“I just need you to hold me.”

Her hand reached up and rested over his heart. Bellamy swallowed, placing his hand over hers. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of Clarke’s breathing evening out. It was such a beautiful sound.

“Clarke?” he whispered, but got no response. He glanced down, seeing her asleep, lips slightly parted as her cheek rested on his chest. He watched her for a while, feeling warm at the thought that Clarke was completely at peace in this moment. There was no problem to solve, no Echo to control, no Marcus to argue with. Just him and his princess, enjoying the calm before the storm.


	17. Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Becho road trip, about 2k of smut, and a dash of feels. 
> 
> Also, thank you guys for all the comments so far. You guys are great :)

“Get in the car,” Echo ordered. Bellamy blinked, looking around his office parking lot. He had been planning on going somewhere to pick up lunch… but, apparently, he was going to waste his lunch break on whatever it was Echo was up to.

“Echo, why are you here?” he asked hesitantly, as he tried to remember if he had his gun on him… just in case.

“I need you to help me with a project of mine,” Echo replied with a smirk, and Bellamy swallowed. He really didn’t like the sound of that.

“Could you be any more vague?” he groaned, throwing his head back. Despite all his efforts to figure Echo out, he still knew next to nothing about her except that he hates her.

“Bellamy, you and I both know I can force you to get in my car. Just get in,” she said, patting the seat next to her. He opened the car door slowly, looking around again to see if there were any witnesses that could help him. But, everyone was still inside working. Once he was seated, he slowly moved to grab his phone from his pocket, trying to decide if he should text Clarke or Marcus to come help. Then, he heard Echo cock her gun. “Give me your phone,” she said, holding out her hand.

“You have had millions of opportunities to kill me already, Echo,” he spat, reluctantly putting his phone in her hand. She quickly turned it off before tucking it in her coat pocket.

“If we’re supposed to work together, you really need to trust me more,” Echo teased, as she put her car back into drive.

“You are literally kidnapping me from my office,” Bellamy growled, and Echo just burst out laughing.

“I thought it was about time for us to have a little road trip,” she said with a smirk, keeping her eyes on the road. Bellamy let out a huff, looking down at his watch. If Echo really was going to kill him, at least Clarke could track him down.

“Where are we going?”

“I need some help with Pike,” she shrugged, and Bellamy’s eyes widened. He wasn’t particularly keen on seeing Pike again, especially now that he knew Pike tried to kill him. “And, Clarke doesn’t exactly want you near Pike. Something about being worried about your safety, so we’re keeping this our little secret.”

“Clarke is going to figure out what you’re up to when she tracks my watch,” Bellamy snapped, and Echo burst out laughing.

“I’m sorry, but Clarke isn’t going to notice you’re missing for a few hours. She has to put out a few fires at work today,” Echo said with a huge grin, and Bellamy furrowed his brows at her.

“What fires? There’s hardly anything for her to even do at The Ark anymore,” he snapped, remembering how Jaha trusted Clarke with absolutely nothing these days.

“A little HR issue. Apparently, Finn shoved his tongue down her throat today, and Clarke might not have reacted well.”

“He did what?” Bellamy yelled, but Echo kept laughing, which only made Bellamy angrier. “Echo, what the fuck?”

“I warned you he was trying to bang your wife,” Echo said smugly, and Bellamy banged his head into his headrest. Clarke should have texted him about that immediately, and he was going to murder Collins. He gripped his leg a little too tightly, needing something to squeeze to keep himself from screaming. “Good, yes. Hold onto this anger,” Echo smirked.

“How do you know about that already but I don’t?” Bellamy snapped.

“Oh, I have surveillance over Clarke’s office. And I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it tonight. But, she’s now trapped in a seminar all day about physically assaulting coworkers. I’m sure Finn will get the sexual harassment one once he gets his nose popped back in place.”

Bellamy let out a huff, trying to get the mental image of Finn kissing Clarke out of his head. But, it wouldn’t leave him alone. He shook his head, trying to remember that he was kind of being kidnapped by Echo at the moment and that was the much more pressing issue at the moment.

“So, why are you taking me to see Pike?” Bellamy asked as Echo pulled off the interstate and into a very bad part of town.

“Turns out, he’s not scared of me anymore. I think he figured out I won’t kill him. If I could trust Clarke not to strangle him to death, I’d be bringing her… but, you know,” Echo said, before pressing her lips together.

“What? You think he’d be scared of me?” Bellamy asked, blinking a few times.

“He tried to kill you. And, as far as he knows, you’re a psychopath who is hellbent on revenge… which isn’t all that off, when you think about it,” Echo said with a smirk. Then, she pulled off to an almost abandoned office building, that looked like it was at least thirty years old. “Plus, you’re going to attack him.”

“I am not,” Bellamy growled. She pulled into park, before giving him a once over.

“Okay, listen,” she snapped. “Because of Pike, all those assholes managed to make a nice profit from killing all those innocent people in Mt. Weather. He has information we need, but he’s not talking because he’s beginning to forget that we can kill him.”

“Clarke doesn’t want me involved with Pike.”

“And, Clarke won’t know about this,” Echo retorted, undoing her seatbelt.

“God, of course, you go behind her back. Just like when you killed Emerson,” Bellamy muttered, knowing that he was right to not trust Echo. She’s a fucking snake, and he knew that from the day he met her.

“I made the right call when I killed Emerson!” Echo shouted, and clearly Bellamy struck some kind of chord.

“No, you didn’t. Jaha didn’t hire him, Abby did!”

“I know!” Echo yelled, and Bellamy blinked a few times, not understanding how Clarke still didn’t know that. “It didn’t take me that long to get it out of Emerson. Why do you think I put a bullet in him?”

Bellamy’s jaw dropped, trying to make sense of what Echo was saying… but, there was no logical explanation for what she was saying. So, he just tilted his head, waiting for further explanation.

“I know you think you’ve seen Clarke snap, but you haven’t come close. She almost killed Pike with her bare hands just because he threatened you. What do you think she’d do if she finds out that her own mother ordered Jake’s murder?”

“I don’t know,” Bellamy whispered, wondering why he hadn’t thought of it that way before. Sometimes, it was hard for him to remember that Abby Griffin was still Clarke’s mother… and that it was probably difficult enough for Clarke to play her mother as it was. But, it would become impossible if Clarke knew what her mother really did.

“Exactly. And I put a bullet through Emerson’s chest so we wouldn’t find out,” Echo said, and Bellamy hated to admit that Echo was kind of right. Clarke knowing the truth could ruin everything.

“She still has a right to know,” Bellamy said, feeling a pang of guilt that he was actively keeping this from Clarke.

“And she will… once Abby Griffin is safely in police custody and not at risk of being buried alive by Clarke,” Echo muttered. Then, she let out a sigh. “So, you ready for Pike?”

Bellamy let out a groan, opening the door. Echo chuckled as she opened her door. Bellamy really hated this plan, but also wasn’t confident about fighting Echo over it. He followed her into the building, noting only a handful of people inside.

Bellamy looked around, pondering the occasional receptionist but overall absence of anyone else. There was just enough here to trick the average person that this was a real place of business. And, as he followed Echo up the stairs, he had an uncomfortable feeling about what kind of people were actually in this building. He worried that he was surrounded by other hired killers like Echo.

Then, Echo pulled him into an office that looked like it was supposed to be hers. There were a few photos of Echo on the messy desk, along with several spreadsheets tacked to the bulletin board.

“Do you actually have a job?” Bellamy joked. She narrowed her eyes at him, unamused for once. “But, seriously, what is this place?”

“The less you know, the better. So, stop asking questions,” she said, pulling out two guns from inside her coat and slamming them on her desk. “I’m assuming you’re not armed?” Echo said, raising an eyebrow. Bellamy shook his head. If he had been armed, Echo would not have gotten him across town this easily. “You don’t need to be. He’s pretty restrained, and, from what I’ve heard, you probably don’t even need a weapon to do a good amount of damage,” Echo smirked, and Bellamy clenched his jaw.

“I’m not just going to attack an unarmed man, completely unprovoked,” Bellamy snapped.

“Not even one who is withholding information that could put Jaha and Abby in jail?” she asked, tilting her head. Bellamy swallowed. “Not to mention, the longer he keeps his mouth shut, the longer you have to wait until you see your sister again.” Bellamy was starting to see where Clarke learned how to get into someone’s head from. “Come on, I need you angrier if you’re gonna storm in there and try to strangle him.”

Bellamy let out a groan, throwing himself down on one of Echo’s little office chairs. “Stop trying to get in my head,” Bellamy muttered, but he could already see Echo sizing him up, the wheels turning in her head as she tried to figure out what would make him snap.

“You know, I’m surprised Clarke punched Finn. She always told me he was really good with his mouth,” Echo said with a smug grin, and Bellamy raised an eyebrow at her.

“Echo, what are you doing?”

“Well, you’re not getting mad when I talk about Octavia, you just get sad. And the fact that Pike tried to kill you isn’t riling you up. But, for some reason, Finn gets you all stressed out,” she said with a shit-eating grin. “You know, I have no idea how long you had those cameras in Clarke’s house. You probably watched Finn go down on her several times,” Echo teased, and Bellamy rolled his eyes. The cameras weren’t even up back then, and even if they were, Bellamy would never watch such an intimate moment.

“You’re bad at this,” Bellamy snapped.

“Oh, come on. I bet you’re gonna have your boys get the surveillance feed so you can see just how he kissed her today, terrified that for even a second she liked it,” Echo said, and that one struck him hard. Bellamy swallowed, his chest tightening at those words. “I mean, you were technically her rebound from Finn. I just hope she never thinks about him while you’re fucking her.”

“Echo, that’s enough!” Bellamy snapped, and he realized he was giving Echo exactly what she wanted.

“I’m sure that doesn’t mean she loves you any less. But, as shitty of a boyfriend as Finn was, he was really good with his tongue. It was all Clarke would talk about,” Echo said with a wink, causing Bellamy to grip his chair tightly. “You’re her husband though. I’m sure you have nothing to worry about. Even though she’s never bragged to me about you.”

“Echo!” he yelled, and she gestured for him to stand up with a smug look on her face.

“Good, right where I need you,” she said, putting her hands on his shoulders. “Now, I’m going to key you into the room where I’m keeping him. I’m gonna need you to strangle him a bit, and keep that murderous face you have right now,” Echo said, gesturing to his face. Bellamy bit his tongue, trying to resist every urge he had to punch Echo. “Then, I’m gonna rush in and pull you off him. We’re gonna struggle a bit, and then I’m gonna drag you out here and go talk to Pike. Got it?” she said, and Bellamy groaned, not sure when exactly he agreed to this plan.

She moved over the key pad on the wall, typing in a long password, before he heard the door unlock. Echo pulled the door open, gesturing for Bellamy to storm on in. He shot her one last dirty look before going inside.

He spotted Pike up against the wall, his wrists tied together, looking absolutely horrible. Pike’s eyes immediately widened in fear at the sight of Bellamy, and he could understand why Echo thought this would work.

 

“I fucking hate you, you know that?” Bellamy muttered, now back in Echo’s car as she drove him back to his office.

“The feeling is mutual,” she replied. “But, thank you. I learned a lot today.”

“Don’t I at least deserve to know what information I scared out of him?” Bellamy asked, tapping dashboard nervously.

“No, because if I tell you, it’ll be harder for you to lie to Clarke about it,” she muttered, putting on her turn signal. Bellamy groaned, still not liking the idea of lying to Clarke. He had a list of two major things he was currently keeping from her… and it was slowly killing him with guilt. “I know that face. Knock it off,” she snapped, before reaching back to slap Bellamy in the back of the head.

“What the fuck?” Bellamy yelled.

“Everyone lies, Bellamy. Remember, Clarke didn’t tell you about Pike in the first place. We went around her today because if we went along with what she wanted, we wouldn’t have gotten these leads. It was a necessary evil,” Echo explained.

“Easy for you to say,” Bellamy muttered, and Echo bit her lip, before swerving over to pull off to the side of the road. Then, she threw the car into park, looking up the glare at him.

“You don’t know a fucking thing about me!” she shouted, and Bellamy swallowed, not sure how he got under her skin.

“Echo,” Bellamy said hesitantly, not sure what to expect from her when she’s angry.

“I know that you and your friends classified me as some opportunist bitch, as some dumb slut that was somehow Clarke’s friend. I’ve seen your file on me,” she snapped, and Bellamy blinked a few times. “Guess what? All of that was bullshit, because no one expects the dumb bitch to be the one to fuck you up.”

“Echo, I don’t know what I said to upset you, but—”

“No, it’s that you don’t trust me. That just because you don’t know me, you think I have some evil agenda,” she growled.

“I’m sorry that I find you shady as hell! You are constantly threatening people and flaunt how well you can fuck with people’s heads!” Bellamy yelled back, thinking back to how easily she made him snap back at the office.

“And you manipulated my only friend left in this world into loving you. Who is the real monster here?” Echo screamed back, and Bellamy pulled off his seatbelt so he could turn around and glare at her better.

“I did what I had to do. I’m trying to avenge my mother’s murder,” he growled.

“Oh, right. You walked in and found your mother’s body as a kid. Big fucking deal! Mine was killed right in front of me,” she snapped, and Bellamy’s chest started to tighten. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn’t find the words. “Did you think you were the only person with a tragic backstory here? Did you think I got into the murderer for hire business because I had a happy childhood?”

“Echo, I’m sorry, I—”

“Save it. I don’t want your pity,” she growled. “I don’t trust you and you don’t trust me. And, that’s fine. But, I’m doing what I have to do, just like you are. So, keep your passive aggressiveness to yourself, and stop judging me for getting the job done.”

“Okay,” Bellamy finally said, after sitting in silence for a good minute. Echo let out a breath, before putting the car back in drive.

“Oh, and sorry for all the shit I said about Clarke and Finn. I was just trying to get you mad,” she muttered, and Bellamy let out another groan. He hadn’t forgotten about that.

 

Bellamy didn’t like to think of himself as the jealous type. But, to be fair, Bellamy had never been in this long of a relationship before. And, thinking about Finn even touching Clarke made his heart ache.

He tried to reassure himself when Monty found the surveillance video, but Clarke’s face was completely blocked, so he couldn’t see her immediate reaction to Finn kissing her.

He forced himself to down a glass of whiskey as he waited for Clarke to come home. He was battling his own brain, reminding himself that Echo said what she said just to get him angry. Those words were handpicked by someone who was a master of playing people to get him to snap. He shouldn’t believe them…

But, that’s why it worked so well to get him angry… because it prayed on his own doubts. Bellamy knew that Clarke loved him, even if it wasn’t something she felt comfortable with saying. Things were blurry at best when it came to their relationship, and he knew that Clarke had a hard time distinguishing what was real versus what wasn’t… which probably had a lot to do with how badly her family messed around in her head over the years.

But, Bellamy also knew that they didn’t exactly have a fairytale romance. With Finn, Clarke had a normal relationship, complete with normal problems and a natural progression in the relationship. That was something she would never have with Bellamy.

Clarke stormed into the house in a huff, looking frazzled… which he didn’t find comforting. She should be furious about Finn, but instead he found himself wondering if she felt something in that kiss.

“I fucking hate my job,” Clarke grumbled, throwing her purse on the couch. Bellamy crossed over to her quickly, pressing a hard kiss to her lips before she could open her mouth and say anything else. She melted into him quickly, as he gripped her tightly. “What has gotten into you?” Clarke said with a small grin, as Bellamy tugged off her coat.

“Just missed you,” Bellamy lied, before seizing her neck with his lips. As he sucked at her pulse point, he told himself that he wasn’t jealous, that he was just reminding Clarke about what she has.

“Not even going to ask me what happened today?” Clarke asked breathlessly, and Bellamy growled against her skin, walking her backwards toward the kitchen table.

“What happened today?” he asked, as she hit the table. Bellamy picked her up and put her on the table, kicking the chairs away, so he could stand right in between her legs. His tongue started attacking her neck again, just below her ear.

“Finn kissed me in my office,” Clarke said, and Bellamy tried to look surprised.

“How was it?” Bellamy growled, gripping Clarke’s face between his hands as he narrowed his eyes at her. She blinked a few times, surprised by the question.

“Unprovoked and creepy. I punched him,” Clarke said, scrunching her face up slightly as she looked up at Bellamy.

“Good girl,” Bellamy whispered, before crashing his lips into hers. She moaned into his mouth, as Bellamy let one of his hands travel down to her throat, almost feeling her pulse. “Was Finn a good kisser?” Bellamy asked, and Clarke scrunched her face up again.

“Why are you asking?” Clarke asked, her lips parted slightly, and Bellamy’s hands dropped to her thighs, pushing up her skirt slightly.

“Just curious,” he tried to say casually, even though he had spent a good majority of his day wondering about Finn and what Echo said about him.

“Well, stop it and kiss me,” she pouted, putting her arms around his neck to pull him back in. He groaned into her mouth, while his hands were fast at work hiking up her skirt. “Bellamy,” Clarke whispered breathlessly against his lips, “there are three cameras in here.”

“Good. Later we can watch them,” he growled, before biting her lip. Clarke blinked a few times, her breath catching as Bellamy’s fingers ghosted over.

“I’m just gonna text Raven real quick to tell her not to check the feeds for a while,” Clarke said quickly, as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. She was biting her lip as she texted, probably reacting to how Bellamy was rubbing her through the fabric. Bellamy started tugging her panties off as Clarke hit send, and Clarke frantically grabbed onto the edge of the table, worrying her bottom lip in anticipation.

He started suckling at her pulse point again, overwhelmed by how she was whimpering for more. And, God, he was going to give her more… eventually. He sucked and bit her, knowing that he was leaving a mark. She’d probably chew him out for it when she saw it in the mirror, but he didn’t care. Because, she was _his._

“Bellamy, please,” she begged, and he smirked against her skin, loving how breathlessly she would beg for her husband to fuck her. He tried to ignore the small voice in his head that wondered if she ever begged for Finn like that, but it kept sneaking back in.

“What’s wrong, princess?” he teased, before capturing her lips back in his. She groaned into his mouth, her tongue searching eagerly for his, but he was teasing her.

“You better fuck me, Bell,” Clarke growled, and he knew she was getting impatient. She hated when she wasn’t in control… and she loathed being teased.

“I will,” Bellamy said, voice low, as he gripped both of Clarke’s legs and pulled her toward the edge of the table. He wet his lips with his tongue as he searched Clarke’s desperate face. She was almost frozen, almost terrified to do anything if it would make Bellamy stop what he’s doing.

And, he will cherish the sound of Clarke sucking in a breath as he got on his knees in front of the table. He rubbed her thighs as he eyed her glistening cunt. No wonder his princess was getting so impatient… she was soaked for him.

He runs his tongue outside her folds, just centimeters away from where she needed him. Her hands gripped his hair tightly, trying to pull him where she wanted him. Bellamy pulled his head away, glancing up at Clarke with a stern look. “Hands on the table, Clarke,” he ordered, his voice gravelly as he commanded her. He half expected Clarke to fight him, but she obeyed him immediately. “Good girl,” he smirked, and Clarke let out a sweet little whimper. Then, he dove back in, running his tongue along her slit, as he gripped her thighs tightly.

He used one hand to push her folds apart, so he could see her beautiful little clit throbbing for him. He swirled his tongue around it quickly, before latching his mouth onto it, sucking gently. He pressed a finger inside of her, her loud moan echoing in his ears. He slid another finger in, feeling her clench around him as he thrust in and out of her.

“Bell, fuck,” she moaned even louder, and Bellamy had to suppress his own smile so he could stay focused. “Right there,” she whimpered, as he hit a particularly sensitive spot.

She wasn’t ready when he replaced his fingers with his tongue, if her guttural moan was any indication. It didn’t take long to have her erupt onto him, her arousal flooding onto his face in a beautiful wave of pleasure.

He was just amazed that Clarke managed to refrain from gripping onto his hair. His princess remembered to keep her hands on the table.

He pressed slow, sweet kisses around her cunt as she caught her breath. He felt her shudder once he let his tongue slide up her slit again.

“Bellamy, please,” she whimpered, her hands now trying to pull him up.

“I said hands on the table,” Bellamy reminded, raising an eyebrow up at her. She was looking at him with a desperate look on her face, and he could feel his own arousal throbbing in response. She put her hands on the table, her eyes still pleading with him. “I’m not done with you, princess,” he said with a smirk, and he swears he saw Clarke’s lip start to quiver as she nodded eagerly.

This time, he wasn’t as gentle. No, he thrust his tongue into her, swearing to himself that Clarke would never be able to think about anything but Bellamy while he fucks her. Not that he believed a word Echo said, but still. He wasn’t sure if he was reminding Clarke or himself, but someone needed to be reminded that Bellamy could make her feel so fucking _good._

This time, he had her screaming. He could feel her legs shake around him, as Bellamy gripped her by her ass to push her even closer to his mouth. And, she came even harder than she did before, her voice strangled as she actually screamed his name.

Bellamy pulled away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked Clarke up and down. Her hands were still on the table, and her eyes were dazed.

“What has gotten into you?” Clarke asked breathlessly, as he watched her gorgeous chest rise and fall rapidly.

“Nothing, I just wanted you,” Bellamy growled, as he started to unbutton his pants.

“Bellamy,” Clarke said more sternly, and Bellamy swallowed, looking up to meet her gaze. “Does this have anything to do with what I told you?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. Bellamy opened his mouth to argue, but, he had no other logical explanation for why he just went for her like this. Then, he felt Clarke’s hand travel up his chest, and he fought the urge to tell her to put her hand on the table. She gripped onto his tie, wrapping it around her hand before pulling him toward her. “Did hearing that Finn kissed me make you jealous, Bell?” she asked, her voice almost teasing.

“Yes,” he whispered, his mouth now just inches away from hers. And he swears, Clarke started smirking.

Her other hand grabbed his, stopping him from unzipping his pants. “You know that’s crazy, right?” she asked, her voice low as she gently picked his hand up and moved it to her leg.

“I know,” he growled, his eyes not leaving hers as she started at him with wide, innocent eyes.

“Tell me how you know that it’s crazy,” she whispered, one hand unzipping his pants, while the other remained tangled in his tie.

“Because, you’re my—" he tried to say, before Clarke cupped his erection through his underwear, still looking at him innocently… like her thumb stroking him wasn’t causing his cock to twitch.

“Because, I’m yours,” Clarke growled, before pulling him for a slow kiss, and Bellamy swears Clarke has never been so sexy as she is in this moment. “Say it,” she ordered, her lips grazing his as she commanded him.

“You’re mine,” he said, voice low, before he captured her lips with his. She abandoned his tie, as both her hands worked his pants down. He moaned into her mouth as he suddenly felt her warm hands on his cock, realizing that it was finally free.

“Say it again,” Clarke said with a smirk, as she grabbed Bellamy’s ass and pulled her toward her.

“You’re mine,” he growled, as he lined his cock up with her entrance.

“That’s it, now fuck me,” she ordered, as Bellamy slammed himself into her, feeling Clarke grip onto his shoulders. His hands were digging into her hips, probably a little too tightly, but Clarke didn’t seem to care if he left a bruise on her.

“Fuck, Clarke,” he whimpered into her neck, before biting down.

“Yeah, Bell. Feels good when you stop teasing me and just fuck me,” she moaned right into his ear, and Bellamy wasn’t going to last long if she kept talking to him like this. He tried to slow down his pace, but he just wanted her too fucking much and couldn’t help himself. “So hard for me, Bell. Fuck, I love your cock.”

“You’re gonna kill me,” Bellamy whispered, his teeth grazing her ear.

“What’s wrong? You don’t want to hear how much I love feeling you inside me?” Clarke teased, pulling his hair as she spoke. He grunted his affirmation, his cock sliding in and out of her quickly. “And, only you,” she growled right into his ear, and Bellamy felt chills go up his spine.

Maybe Clarke was just good at reading people, or he really was the jealous monster that he felt like today. But, she said the one thing he had been chasing after all day.

“You like hearing that, don’t you baby?” she whispered, before pressing a kiss to his cheek. “That only you can make me feel this good?”

Bellamy nodded desperately as he pulled his lips off her neck, before pressing a hesitant kiss to her lips. Her fingers were stroking his neck and cheek so lovingly, as her lips parted for him. His tongue found hers quickly, and he whimpered into her mouth at the contact.

He could kill Echo for getting into his head earlier today, but, fuck, if Bellamy didn’t love how Clarke was comforting him.

“Say it as many times as you need to, Bell. As many times as it takes for you to believe it,” she said breathlessly against his lips.

“You’re mine,” he whispered, and Clarke nodded along, encouraging him, and he could feel himself start to fall apart inside of her.

“Come for me, Bell,” she begged, her hips grinding into him, and he gripped tightly onto her waist again, burying his face into her neck. He growled into her skin as he erupted into her. He couldn’t keep his thoughts straight as he was overwhelmed by Clarke’s scent, or the feel of her throat against his teeth, or how she pulsed around him. He barely made out Clarke’s murmurs, only really hearing her say _yours_ and _fuck_ and _Bell_.

By the time he lifted his head up look at her, Clarke’s lips were formed in a beautiful “O” and her eyes were closed gently, and Bellamy could kick himself for not noticing her come for him. It was one of his favorite things.

“Clarke,” he whispered, and her eyes fluttered open, and her lips formed a soft little smile as she looked at him. Bellamy felt so warm in his chest, as he slowly pulled out of her.

“You’re sexy when you’re jealous,” Clarke teased, and Bellamy bent down to press a chaste kiss to her lips.

“Sorry,” Bellamy muttered, gesturing to her neck. Clarke ran her fingers over one hickey that was forming just below her jaw, and raised an eyebrow at him.

“I know that Finn kissing me was not enough to provoke you into marking me as yours,” Clarke replied, raising both eyebrows at him, waiting for some kind of explanation.

“Echo might have said something about Finn, a while ago,” he tried to say vaguely, and Clarke narrowed her eyes at him. “Just that you thought he was really good with his tongue and that you never bragged to her about me that way.”

Then, Clarke burst out laughing, throwing her head back. “Well, Echo was obviously messing around with your head,” Clarke said finally, and she was right. Echo was messing with him to get him angry. “Bell, Finn never went down on me. Bitch lied to you.”

Bellamy clenched his jaw, furious that Echo didn’t admit that she was making shit up just to get under his skin. “Wait, never?” Bellamy asked, outraged at Finn for a completely different reason now. Clarke pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“I wasn’t lying when I say that only you make me feel this good,” she said with a smirk, before jumping off the table, and tugging her skirt down. Bellamy tilted her head back up toward him, before pressing a slow kiss to her lips. “Now, I need to go cover this up before I go meet up with my mom,” Clarke groaned, gesturing to her neck as she pulled away.

“Sorry, princess,” Bellamy said, and Clarke rolled her eyes. She moved toward the bathroom to put makeup on her neck, and Bellamy tried to act like he was sorry about it. Clarke emerged a few minutes later, furrowing her brows as she looked around for where she put her purse.

“Oh, and Bell?” Clarke said, as she dug through it. Bellamy walked over to her, and she grabbed his tie again, raising an eyebrow at him. “You’re mine, too,” she said with a smirk, and Bellamy let out a light chuckle, because, of course, he was hers. Then, Clarke pulled a burner phone out of her purse and placed it in Bellamy’s hand.

“What’s this?” Bellamy asked, as Clarke moved over to pull her coat back on.

“A present. Call the only number in the contacts and see,” she said with a smile, and Bellamy furrowed his brows at her. “Oh, and if you want privacy, call from our bedroom. There are no cameras in there,” Clarke replied, and Bellamy tried not to internally lose his shit over the fact that Clarke actually referred to it as their bedroom.

 

Bellamy waited until Clarke took off to call the number, kind of terrified about what Clarke had for him.

“Bell?” he heard his sister’s voice say, and the unexpected tears started flooding out.

“O?” he shouted excitedly, rubbing his eyes quickly.

“My God, I’ve missed you so much!” he heard her shout, and Bellamy didn’t realize just how much he missed her until he heard her voice.

“I missed you too. Wait, how am I talking to you? I thought I was supposed to not have contact,” Bellamy said, shaking his head. Echo’s rules were very strict for this kind of thing, and he wasn’t going to argue with it. Since, Echo was really fucking good at disappearing people.

“It was one of Clarke’s conditions. A phone call every other week,” she explained, and Bellamy let out a happy sigh.

“Okay, tell me everything. How are you? How’s the baby?”

“I’m great, actually. Oh, the doctor Clarke set me up with is fucking amazing. Yesterday, I got my first picture of the baby. Bell, it’s so fucking small!” she said, and he could hear the excitement ooze over the phone. Then, he heard her mutter more quietly, “No, Lincoln, go away. I’m talking to Bellamy.” And, he burst out laughing.

“How is Lincoln?” Bellamy asked, still chuckling.

“Ugh, perfect. He’s teaching me how to cook.”

“Tell him I said good luck,” Bellamy teased, and Octavia let out a loud groan.

“I see you’re still a dick,” she snapped, and Bellamy kept laughing. “Is anything actually new with you, or is it the same old nonsense?”

“Uh, same old for the most part. I hate Echo,” he muttered.

“I mean, she made me disappear, so I can’t actually hate her,” Octavia said, and Bellamy let out a groan. He forgot that Echo was doing him a huge favor.

“She is still the worst. I’ve got a fucking story to tell you,” Bellamy said, before retelling the events of his day… leaving out the sex with Clarke of course. And, Octavia roasted him hard at every turn, giving him shit about Finn and letting Echo get to him.

And, Bellamy felt a million times more human as he talked to her.

 

“How is Octavia?” Clarke asked, as she stumbled into their bedroom. Bellamy was already in bed, watching the feeds in the Griffin-Jaha house.

“A pain in the ass, and I love her,” Bellamy said with a smile, as Clarke kicked off her shoes. “Thank you, Clarke.”

“No problem. Now, the number will change for next time, but I’ll get that to you as soon as I have it,” she said, as she pulled off her jacket.

“I thought it was dangerous for me to have contact with her,” Bellamy replied, tilting his head slightly.

“I mean, not really if we’re careful about it. I didn’t want to get your hopes up in case it didn’t work out, or if Echo didn’t cooperate. It’s a real pain to keep switching around phones and numbers, apparently,” Clarke muttered, as she pulled a few bobby pins from her hair and set them on the dresser.

“Clarke, thank you, seriously,” Bellamy said, pulling his laptop off his lap so he could get out of bed and move toward her. He pressed a kiss to her neck, as he hugged her from behind.

“Well, I know how important talking to her is to you,” Clarke shrugged, and Bellamy furrowed his brow, giving her a side glance. He let go slightly, as Clarke turned around, looking up at him. “Well, you always said that foster care would have been easier if you could have at least talked to her more. That hearing from her kept you sane,” Clarke said, blinking a few times as she looked up at him.

And, fuck, Bellamy didn’t hesitate to crash his lips into hers… because, Clarke understood. He didn’t even have to tell her that being away from Octavia felt just like it did all those years ago. Somehow, she just knew. And she took care of him, like she always did.

“So, um, how’s your mom?” Bellamy asked once he pulled away, and Clarke started getting undressed.

“Thirsty as fuck. She keeps casually bringing Marcus into conversation,” Clarke said with an eye roll, and Bellamy smirked, realizing that this part of Clarke’s plan was actually working. “Oh, and you’ll never guess what Echo found today.”

Bellamy swallowed, kind of thankful that Echo didn’t tell him earlier. Now, he actually would be surprised at this news.

“She actually found Titus, after all these years,” Clarke said excitedly, and Bellamy’s jaw dropped.

“Where the fuck has he been hiding?” Bellamy asked excitedly, throwing himself onto the bed. Clarke pulled one of Bellamy’s t-shirts over her head, and Bellamy tried not to get distracted by how good she looked in his clothes.

“He’s a priest now,” Clarke said, and Bellamy blinked a few times, not sure he heard that correctly.

“The man who coerced everyone into keeping their mouth shut is suddenly a man of God?” Bellamy asked in disbelief, as Clarke nodded slowly. Bellamy leaned back, shaking his head. He needed to talk to Marcus, not entirely sure where they should go with this, ethically speaking. He was all for getting revenge on people who were evil, but this guy clearly had a crisis of conscience. He was repenting for what he did all those years… and Bellamy wasn’t sure it was their place to punish him. “What are you thinking about doing with this information?” Bellamy asked hesitantly, since Clarke’s face gave nothing away.

“Look, he’s doing a lot of good in the world. He’s raised a good deal of money and set up a soup kitchen for the homeless. I don’t want to hurt him,” Clarke said, and Bellamy let out a sigh of relief.

“So…?”

“We can still use him,” Clarke said with a devious smile, and Bellamy pressed his lips together, waiting for her to let him into that pretty little head of hers. “He’s going to help us break the weakest link,” she said slyly, and Bellamy bit his lip, nodding excitedly.

“My poor mother-in-law,” Bellamy said sarcastically, as Clarke climbed into bed next to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“May God have mercy on her soul,” Clarke whispered with a grin, as Bellamy pulled her into his chest, and peppered her face with kisses. She giggled in his arms, so sweetly that he almost forgot how vicious she could be. He kept kissing her, feeling her smile against his cheek as she tried to kiss him back.


	18. Manipulation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note the tag I added. This chapter gets real dark. I had some tears. Just warning you guys.

Bellamy tried his best not to think too critically about what he was doing here… that he was a master manipulator, just like the rest of them. But, Marcus taught him a long time ago that inside the viper’s den, Bellamy must be a viper as well.

He thought long and hard about that, especially after Echo chewed him out… again… for judging her. Because, she was right. Bellamy manipulated Clarke, and he was still manipulating every person in Arkadia he met. And, while he regretted what he did to Clarke, he had to put that guilt aside so he could keep manipulating everyone else.

It’s not like these people didn’t deserve it, after all. Jaha and Abby manipulated Clarke for most of her life, convincing her to believe a truth that directly conflicted with what was actually in her head.

“On the record, I completely loathe this plan,” Marcus muttered into his glass of wine, side-eyeing Bellamy.

“What’s wrong? Now you have a moral objection to using someone?” Bellamy said with a smirk, and Marcus opened his mouth to protest, to probably go off on a rant about how it was never supposed to be Clarke… but, they had this argument before. And, since Bellamy won it every time by pointing out that he was fine with using Wells, Marcus shut his mouth.

“Don’t go soft on us, silver fox,” he heard Echo tease over the earpiece, and Marcus let out a loud groan. Bellamy chuckled… because, when Echo was messing with other people, she was actually really funny. Bellamy glanced around the room, seeing familiar faces dressed up and mingling. Then, he caught Wells’ eye, and Bellamy swallowed. Wells gave him a once over, and there was a clear question on his face… he wanted to know why Clarke wasn’t there.

“Tonight is going to result in Thelonious punching me in the face,” Marcus whispered, and Bellamy bit his lip, trying to imagine Jaha being able to do any damage. He’d probably hire someone to punch Marcus.

“Speak of the devil,” he heard Raven say over the earpiece, and Bellamy turned around, seeing Jaha walk in with Abby on his arm, looking even more smug than usual.

“That looks a lot like Jaha getting his way,” Bellamy said quietly, swallowing as he waved them over. He hated the look on Jaha’s face… it was the same one he made on Bellamy’s wedding night. It meant he just did something horrible, and Bellamy needed to figure out what it was.

“Bellamy!” Abby said excitedly, running up and pulling him into a hug. Bellamy furrowed his brows at Marcus over Abby’s shoulder, trying to remember if Abby had ever hugged him before.

“Someone’s sucking up to her lover’s son,” Echo muttered over the earpiece, and Bellamy had to stifle his laughter.

“Marcus, Bellamy,” Jaha said with a nod, and Bellamy noticed the slight bitterness in how he greeted Marcus. “Where’s Clarke?” he asked, as Abby pulled away to give a less conspicuous hug to Marcus.

“Still out of town,” Bellamy said, which technically wasn’t a lie.

“Oh, right, her college friend’s divorce just came through,” Abby said, and Bellamy swears he saw Jaha smirk. There was no way he knew what Clarke was actually doing. She was basically untraceable as she hunted down Titus. But, Jaha knew something.

“Update: Finn Collins just walked in,” Echo announced through the earpiece, and Bellamy quickly heard groans from Raven and Monty.

“Marcus, a moment? I have a friend who has been dying to meet you,” Jaha said, and Bellamy’s chest started to tighten. Marcus nodded, and followed after him, and Bellamy swallowed, wondering if Jaha already knew about the affair.

Bellamy blinked a few times, realizing that he was now completely alone with Abby Griffin.

“So, how is work going?” she asked enthusiastically, and Bellamy felt really weird talking to her. He knew that he needed to slowly start messing with her head, so that when Titus came into town, she would be rattled enough to start getting reckless. But, he felt weird about it, especially since Clarke wasn’t here to help.

“Oh, it’s going fine. Monty and Jasper haven’t fixed the bugs on their new program yet, but I’m sure it’ll be any day now,” he said, and he heard Jasper screech over the earpiece.

“I would have fixed it if I wasn’t wasting so much fucking time tracking down a priest!” Jasper yelled, and Bellamy tried not to flinch at that volume.

“Bullshit, you’ve had weeks to get around to it. You spent three hours yesterday on a Wikipedia spiral!” Monty snapped back, and Bellamy glanced around the room, trying to see if Echo would put them in place, but she was busy talking to Finn Collins.

“Well, that’s great. How’s Clarke? I haven’t heard from her in a few days,” Abby said, snapping Bellamy out of Jasper and Monty’s little fight.

“Oh, I just knew you were going to bring that up!” Jasper yelled, and Bellamy finally heard Raven groan loudly.

“She’s good,” Bellamy replied without any other follow up. He was kind of curious to see how Abby was going to keep this conversation going.

“If you two don’t shut the fuck up, I will empty your bank accounts and leave you penniless,” Raven growled over the earpiece, and Bellamy heard both Jasper and Monty suck in a breath.

“Look, Bellamy, I know we didn’t get off to the best start,” Abby said, and Bellamy tilted his head in confusion. Because, apparently, him marrying her daughter wasn’t enough for her to apologize, but now that she’s banging Marcus, she feels like she has to.

“You tried to stop my wedding,” Bellamy retorted, and Abby swallowed.

“That had nothing to do with you. That was about me protecting my daughter,” Abby clarified, with a forced smile on her face. Bellamy let out a sigh, because this wasn’t the reaction he needed. He can’t get in her head if she’s defensive. He needs her feeling guilty.

“I know. I would do the same thing for my family,” he said, and he saw her lips slightly twitch as she narrowed her eyes at him.

“How is Octavia?” she asked, as if she just now realized that Octavia wasn’t around anymore.

“She moved away with her boyfriend,” he said, making sure to really milk the sadness as he spoke. And, Abby’s face immediately softened.

“I’m sorry,” she said like it was a question, and Bellamy nodded.

“It’s fine, it’s just—” he cut himself off, looking down at his feet. He could feel Abby’s eyes boring into him, meaning she was taking the bait. “She was just the only family I had left, other than Marcus and Clarke of course,” he clarified, and Abby sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be dumping this on you.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” she reassured, grabbing his arm.

“Look, Abby, I know you’re not crazy about Clarke marrying me, but I was hoping we could move past that,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “I mean, we’re kind of family now, and I could really use a family.”

“Come here,” Abby said, throwing her arms around Bellamy again. Bellamy glanced up, to see Echo smirking at him from across the room, before glancing toward Marcus and Jaha. Bellamy just realized that Marcus must have pulled out his earpiece, but the conversation seemed civil at least. “I’m sorry if you ever felt like I didn’t want you in my family, because I do, Bellamy,” Abby said as she pulled back, and Bellamy almost believed her with how sincere she seemed.

There were times where Bellamy forgot how large of a part Abby Griffin had in Mt. Weather, that she was just as vicious as Jaha. And, that was mostly because he got lost in how much she seemed to love her daughter, in her own way. But, terrible people have loved ones, he kept reminding himself. That didn’t redeem her. She still had her own husband killed to cover up what she did.

“I like to think that my mom would approve of my new family,” Bellamy said with a small smile, and he saw Abby’s eyes light up at that. She had been prying into his past ever since he arrived in Arkadia, and he just gave her exactly what she was looking for: a piece to the puzzle.

“You never talk about your mother,” Abby observed, as she grabbed a glass of champagne off one of the waiter’s trays.

“Well, I try not to, especially in Arkadia,” Bellamy whispered, and Abby leaned in, looking intrigued. “She used to live here.” She tilted her head in confusion. “Look, I don’t talk about this because I don’t want people to view me differently,” he started, leaning in like he had the hugest secret in the world and only trusted Abby Griffin with it. “My mother killed herself.”

And, the look on Abby’s face was priceless… it didn’t take her more than a second to make the Blake connection. She knew exactly who his mother was, and her eyes were drowning in guilt as she tried to compose herself.

“I’m so sorry, Bellamy,” Abby said, sounding flustered in her voice. And, she took a huge gulp of her champagne, blinking a few times as she did.

“It’s been eighteen years,” Bellamy sighed, and that only seemed to make Abby’s face tense up even more. “I came to terms with what happened a long time ago.” She nodded, her lips parted slightly, before she turned around, probably looking for Jaha. “But, please don’t tell anyone. I don’t want people here to pity me,” he pleaded, and Abby nodded again before swallowing.

After a few seconds of silence, Abby excused herself, saying that it was time for her to head backstage.

“Her hands are literally shaking. Maybe we went too hard on this one,” Raven muttered over the ear piece, and Bellamy rolled his eyes as he walked up to Jasper and Monty.

“It is mildly comforting to know that she has a conscience though,” Jasper said with a shrug, as Bellamy leaned against the wall, his eyes now on the stage. This was a charity auction of Arkadia’s most elite “bachelorettes.” Bellamy was almost kind of grateful that Clarke hadn’t gotten back in time to be here, so he didn’t have to get into a bidding war with Collins for a date with her.

He glanced over at Echo, who was heading over toward Jaha. “Mr. Jaha, can I talk to you in private?” he heard over the earpiece, and he saw Jaha furrow his brows at her.

“Echo, I’m sure this can wait until after the auction,” he said, almost condescendingly, as he waved away his men.

“Fine, I just thought you’d want to know what I just learned about Roan, especially since he’s cozying up to your son again,” she replied before walking away, and Jaha gripped her wrist, his face now determined. She started leading him out the back.

“God, she is too good at getting into people’s heads,” Monty muttered, and Bellamy let out a groan. Then, he saw Echo pull her earpiece out, and he bit his lip. He knew that Echo was on their side, but he was still convinced she was up to something else as well. Clarke wouldn’t tell him anything about Echo’s background, and all Bellamy has figured out was that she was an orphan who likely had some kind of history with organized crime.

“It’s like a cool super power,” Jasper said, almost admiring her, and Bellamy turned to glare at him.

Then, the evening’s host announced the first “bachelorette” up for the date auction: Abby Griffin. Bellamy glanced up, seeing Abby looking more composed than earlier, plastering a smile on her face.

“It really is a shame that her own husband stepped out and can’t bid on her,” Bellamy joked, glancing over at Marcus, whose earpiece was back in, but was decidedly ignoring him.

“This is where Echo would make some teasing comment about the silver fox coming in to save the day,” Jasper said, and Bellamy hit him on the back of the head.

 

“Guilt is a powerful thing, isn’t it?” Marcus whispered, throwing his arm around Bellamy’s shoulders. Bellamy followed his gaze, seeing Abby Griffin struggle to stay composed while talking to Riley.

“Do you think it’ll be enough to make her snap?” Bellamy asked, raising an eyebrow, and Marcus let out a sigh.

“Not yet. But, I know Abby Griffin better than I know most people. What she did secretly eats away at her already. She just needs a bigger push,” he muttered, shaking his head slightly. Bellamy opened his mouth to ask him if he loved her, but thought better of it. That was Marcus’ business, and talking about it would probably just make all of this more difficult for him.

Bellamy glanced around the room, before seeing Jaha on the phone, looking angry as he spoke. Bellamy was dying to know what lie Echo told him about Roan to get him so riled up, but it was probably better if he knew as little as possible about Echo.

“I think you should mess with Jaha a bit,” Bellamy suggested, as Marcus downed the rest of his drink.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Marcus said, and Bellamy saw Jaha hang up, already looking riled up.

“Don’t let him punch you,” Bellamy called out, as Marcus crossed the room to meet Jaha. He knew Marcus was going to play the just trying to help card when explaining how he won Jaha’s wife in the charity auction, and that this would only rile Jaha up even more… potentially even lead to a fight between him and Abby later tonight.

Bellamy pulled out his phone, scrolling through his messages to see if Clarke had updated him on her progress, but he had nothing. He let out a sigh, before putting it away, noticing Wells Jaha heading right toward him.

“Hey, Wells. How are you?” he asked, and Wells narrowed his eyes at him in response. “Something wrong?”

“Where is your wife tonight?” he asked, point blank, and Bellamy swallowed.

“She’s still out of town,” he replied, but Wells looked suspicious. “What’s going on, Wells?”

“Are you and Clarke having problems?” he asked, furrowing his brows, looking concerned.

“No, we’re perfectly fine,” Bellamy said, pretty sure he was telling the truth. Sure, they both kind of used each other and got married under false pretenses, but they had moved past that. He loved her, and she loved him.

Wells let out a huff, grabbing Bellamy by the shoulder and ushering him toward the back of the room where there were less people around. “Look, I’ve been trying to get this out of Clarke for a while now, but I need you to be straight with me. Why did you two actually get married?”

Bellamy blinked a few times, somehow having forgotten the conversation he had with Wells the night before his wedding. He just assumed that because Wells hadn’t said anything lately, that he was no longer suspicious of Bellamy.

“Because, we love each other. Sure, it was fast—”

“Is Clarke pregnant?” Wells blurted out, and Bellamy immediately started coughing, not prepared for that particular accusation. But, the more Bellamy thought about it, the more he understood. Of course, that’s what Wells would suspect. They barely knew each other when they got married, and they threw the wedding together in less than a month. It looked like a fucking shot gun wedding.

“No, she’s not,” Bellamy said defensively, and Wells let out a huff.

“Okay, well I know that something is up,” he groaned, sounding frustrated.

“Why do you think something is going on?” Bellamy snapped, as Wells looked around, making sure no one else could overhear.

“Because you’re going around telling everyone that Clarke is out of town when I literally saw her today,” Wells replied, and Bellamy felt his chest tighten up. He tried to think to the last time he talked to Clarke, which was late last night. But, she was in Tondc last he heard, and she would have told him if she was coming back early. Hell, she would be here if that was the case.

“What?” Bellamy asked, jaw slightly dropped, as he tuned out Monty and Jasper freaking out over the earpiece.

“Yeah, I saw her walking out of my dad’s office at The Ark, looking really upset. So, either you are just lying about Clarke being out of town, or she’s lying to you about being out of town,” he snapped, and Bellamy knew for a fact that Clarke was in Tondc last night. Raven and the guys were keeping up with her… which meant that for some reason she flew back to talk to Jaha.

Bellamy blinked a few times, searching the room for Jaha, who was now talking to his wife with a smug look on his face.

“She’s at your house,” Monty said over the earpiece, and Bellamy let out a breath.

“Excuse me,” Bellamy said, dismissing himself from this conversation with Wells, who genuinely looked concerned about Clarke.

“Yep, there’s security camera footage of Clarke inside The Ark around four in the afternoon,” Raven confirmed, and Bellamy felt like he was going to throw up. He started dialing Clarke as he found his keys.

“Go ahead and go through the feeds at the Griffin-Jaha house so we can see if she stopped by today,” he muttered, as Clarke’s phone sent him to voicemail.

 

He kept dialing Clarke as he drove home, his brain trying to figure out why Clarke wasn’t talking to him. He thought they were past the point where she would keep secrets from him… and maybe they were and she was just upset about something. Maybe things happened too quickly for her to keep Bellamy well informed.

He tried not to think too heavily about what could have happened in that conversation between Jaha and Clarke, especially since he had a horrible feeling that whatever was said was the reason Jaha looked so damn smug.

Then, Monty started calling him.

“What?” Bellamy snapped as he pulled into his neighborhood.

“Clarke did stop by the house, while we were all at the charity auction. But, whatever she went there to do, we can’t see because it was in Abby’s bedroom,” he explained, and the more Bellamy learned, the less this made sense to him.

“So, if Clarke got back by four today and was at the house hours later, what was she up to in the time in between?” Bellamy asked, and Monty let out a groan.

“That’s a Clarke question. She’s still at your house,” Monty said, and Bellamy hung up on him.

Clarke’s car was in the driveway as he pulled in, and Bellamy felt himself running into the house.

“Clarke!” he shouted, as he flipped on the lights. Then, he saw a flash of blonde in the living room. “Clarke,” he said hesitantly as he slowly stepped toward her. She was sitting on the floor, resting against the couch, and facing forward, not even responding to his voice.

As he moved around her and looked at her face, he felt the panic take over his body. Her eyes looked dead, as she kept staring forward. The rise and fall of her chest was the only thing that told him she was actually alive, because she looked like she just saw someone die.

“What’s going on, Clarke?” Bellamy asked, grabbing her hands, trying to startle her into talking.

“I just need a minute,” she whispered, not even looking at him.

He settled down next to her, keeping his eyes fixed on her face, waiting for any kind of movement to tell him something about what’s going on in her head.

After a few minutes, he tried again. “Clarke, did something happen?”

She blinked a few times, but still wouldn’t look at him. Then, she clenched her eyes shut quickly, her entire face looking incredibly tense.

“Clarke, come here,” Bellamy pleaded, holding his arms out for her. But, instead of leaning into his chest like she normally did, she fell into his lap, burying her face into his thigh as she started hyperventilating. He started rubbing her back, trying to make some kind of sense about what was going on. Bellamy had a good deal of experience with Clarke’s tears, especially after she was kidnapped.

But, the alarming thing was that she was heaving just like she did once she came home from the hospital. He had no idea what Jaha could have said to her to provoke this… but whatever it was, it was bad.

Then, Bellamy heard his door swing open, and Echo and Raven stormed in.

“Clarke, what did Jaha say to you?” Echo asked with a panicked look on her face, and this was the first time Bellamy ever saw Echo this worked up.

“What is going on?” Bellamy asked the two of them, as Raven made quick work of typing something into her laptop. Then, she slid it onto the coffee table, revealing a screaming match between Jaha and Abby. “What does this have to do with Clarke?” he whispered, before looking back down at Clarke, to see if there was any change. There wasn’t, but now Echo was on her other side, running her fingers through Clarke’s hair, trying to soothe her.

“He’s threatening divorce, and just said he found a way to turn even Clarke against her,” Raven explained, nodding at the screen. “No specifications on how, but he might say something else.” Bellamy let out a sigh, looking back down at Clarke.

“Whatever he said, Clarke, it was just to manipulate you,” Echo said to Clarke, and Bellamy swears Echo almost looked human.

“Monty and Jasper are trying to get into the surveillance of Jaha’s office, but I wouldn’t hold your breath,” Raven continued, and Bellamy clenched his eyes shut.

“Clarke, what did he say to you?” Bellamy asked, but he could only hear her muffled sobbing. Whatever it was… it was enough to shake Clarke badly.

“What did you do to her?” he heard Abby yell angrily, and Bellamy glanced back up at the laptop, to see Abby lunge toward Jaha.

“Just let her know exactly what kind of monster you are,” Jaha growled. Bellamy blinked a few times, making eye contact with Echo, who looked genuinely scared.

“Turn it off,” he heard Clarke growl, and Raven immediately rushed to shut the laptop, but Clarke wouldn’t even lift up her head.

“Clarke, sweetheart, talk to us,” Bellamy whispered. He moved to grab Clarke’s hand, his heart pounding once he realized that her hand was shaking slightly.

“Don’t push her,” Echo warned, and Bellamy swallowed. Echo clearly had more experience with Clarke, and he needed to listen to her. “Hey, Clarke, do you want to get in bed? We can carry you,” she offered sweetly, and Clarke tilted her head up, looking at all three of them for the first time.

“No,” she whispered, as she tried to sit up. Bellamy held his breath as Clarke looked at him, his heart aching over how broken Clarke’s eyes looked. He moved to push the tears off her face, and her bottom lip was quivering. Then, she buried her face into his shoulder.

“Clarke, what did he say to you?” Raven asked, and then Bellamy heard his front door swing open again. He glanced up, seeing Marcus take in the scene with a horrified look on his face.

“Clarke,” Marcus said, and Clarke’s head whipped up to look at him, eyes wide. “Let’s get you into bed, okay?” he said, and Clarke let out a sigh, before moving to get up. Bellamy raised an eyebrow at Marcus, wondering why she was listening to him when not even Echo could get her to cooperate.

As Marcus escorted her to their bedroom, his arm around Clarke’s shoulders as she shakily walked down the hallway, the remaining three sat there speechless.

Then, Echo broke the silence. “He broke her,” she whispered, and Bellamy’s eyes flickered to meet hers, confused. “He’s been angry at Abby for a while. He already took Griffin Global from her, and is working on taking Marcus from her. That only leaves one more thing for her to lose.”

“No,” Bellamy whispered, shaking his head as he looked toward his bedroom. The door was shut, but the light was on. He was just thankful that one of them knew how to take care of Clarke, especially since he didn’t this time.

“Think about it. He’s trying to threaten Abby into obeying him, instead of divorcing her. Nothing else seemed to work. And, he probably knew exactly how to get in Clarke’s head and make her snap. I’ve never seen her like this,” Echo said, sounding frustrated. “I could fucking kill him.”

“So, he called Clarke this morning, and whatever he said was enough to get her to come back immediately,” Raven said, her eyes on her laptop. “I can’t tell if she found Titus or not.”

“Titus doesn’t help us if Clarke’s brain is out of commission,” Echo snapped, and Bellamy sucked in a breath, his chest feeling on fire.

“She will be fine, right?” he asked, but Echo’s face was less than encouraging.

“If he said what I think he said, then maybe not,” Echo said apologetically. Bellamy tilted his head in confusion. “Bellamy, what would you say to Clarke to make her snap?”

He blinked a few times, thinking through all the ways he could get under Clarke’s skin. But, nothing seemed devastating enough to provoke this kind of reaction, at least, nothing that Jaha would be willing to confess.

Then, he heard Marcus storm back in, with a furious look on his face. “He told her that Abby was the one that hired Emerson,” he said gravely, and Echo nodded with a grim expression.

“Fuck,” Bellamy snapped, standing up frantically to move toward Clarke. Marcus stepped in front of him before he could make it toward the hallway.

“Bellamy, she’s not okay,” Marcus warned, and Bellamy wanted to scream that of course she wasn’t. For months, she thought it was Jaha who killed her dad, and she just found out that her own mother did it.

“We talked about this,” Echo said, moving toward them. “I warned you she would snap if she found out,” she whispered, probably to keep Clarke from knowing that they knew this whole time.

“Okay, well I’m going to go take care of her,” he growled, as Marcus stopped him again.

“I just want to warn you. Thelonious is a smart man… he knew Clarke would snap like this. He’s hoping that Clarke will go after Abby for him. We can’t let that happen,” he said, eyes wide. Bellamy swallowed, nodding. “Now, I’m going to take over our current operation. Your only job now is to make sure that Clarke stays okay.”

Bellamy nodded, not willing to argue over that. He’d rather be watching Clarke anyways, and he didn’t trust himself not to lash out at Jaha at the moment.

Bellamy left the three of them to plan, not really interested in whatever it was they were up to. He needed to be with Clarke.

He tiptoed into the room, only to see she was still awake.

“Hey, princess,” he whispered, and her eyes followed him as he got ready for bed.

“Marcus told you,” she stated, and he nodded.

“Clarke, I’m sorry,” he said, tugging off his shirt as he pulled in next to her. She quickly buried her face into his chest, as he wrapped his arms tightly around her. “It’s okay, princess,” he murmured into her hair, himself feeling like he could start sobbing. He hated seeing Clarke like this. He was so fucking tired of Clarke getting hurt by these people, who were supposed to be her family. It was sick how Jaha was using her to get back at Abby, how easily he just decided to break Clarke.

“Bellamy?” she whispered, tilting her head up slightly. Her cheeks were tearstained and pink as he run his fingers over them.

“Yeah?” he asked, leaning forward to press his forehead against hers.

“Do you love me?” she asked, her voice shaking as she spoke.

“Of course, I do. I love you so much, Clarke,” he said quickly, before peppering kisses all over her face. “I’ve never loved anyone like I love you, princess,” he continued desperately, trying to pull her even closer so he could assure her of that fact.

“But, I’m broken,” she whispered as the tears kept falling, and Bellamy could feel his own heart shatter at those words.

“No, you’re not,” he tried to reassure, pressing a slow kiss to her lips, but she burst out into a sob.

“Yes, I am. She broke me,” she whimpered into his neck, clutching to him more tightly than she ever had before. Bellamy pulled her in tighter, pressing thousands of kisses to the top of her head.

“You’re not broken, princess,” he whispered into her hair, but he wasn’t sure she could even hear him over her own sobs. “You’re not. You’re so strong, and smart. I love you so much. Please, don’t think you’re broken,” he pleaded, because he wasn’t sure he could survive in a world where Clarke thought there was something wrong with her.

Over time, her breathing evened out, and he knew she was asleep. He let out a sigh of relief, praying that her nightmares would leave her alone for the night… just so she could have a few hours of peace. From what Marcus had told him about Clarke’s past, he knew that there was too much going on in her head and she just shut down. She was in her own personal hell.

Bellamy had been through his own hell, but, in a way, he got out. His hell was those eight years in between when his mother died and when Marcus found him. Sure, Bellamy had his head messed with and he lost his family, but there was an end to that. Marcus gave him the truth, and he got Octavia back.

Clarke’s hell was very different. Hers was in her head, went with her wherever she went, and might not ever completely go away… especially not when people like Jaha messed her up just to point out that he could. Bellamy tried not to think about how many times Clarke had episodes like this over her life… how many times she found herself heaving on the floor because she couldn’t tell what was real and what were the lies they told her.


	19. Recovery

“I’m sure it wouldn’t matter if I missed another day,” Bellamy said with a shrug, as Marcus narrowed his eyes back at him.

“Things need to look like they’re normal here, which means you need to get back to work. I will take care of Clarke,” Marcus reassured sternly, and Bellamy glanced back to his bedroom door. It had been days since Clarke’s episode, and this would be his first time leaving her since that night.

“It’s just—”

“Bellamy, we’ve been over this. It’s just a few hours. And, you said yourself that she’s doing better. She got out of bed yesterday,” Marcus interrupted, crossing his arms.

Bellamy looked down at his feet, knowing that Marcus was probably right. He couldn’t be with Clarke all the time, despite how badly he wanted to. And, the more time he was away from work, the more it looked like something was up.

Jaha already knew that he had gotten to Clarke since she hadn’t shown up at The Ark in days. Bellamy becoming a hermit would draw too much unwanted attention.

“I want hourly updates,” Bellamy argued, and Marcus let out a sigh, nodding slightly.

“Just go,” Marcus groaned, and Bellamy pulled his coat on. He thought about going in to say goodbye to Clarke, but didn’t want to wake her if she was still asleep.

 

“I never thought I’d say this, but I’m like really worried about Abby Griffin,” Monty muttered, tapping on the desk next to his laptop.

“She doing that thing where she creepily stares at that portrait again?” Jasper asked, and Bellamy furrowed his brows at both of them, waiting for some kind of explanation.

“No, she keeps staring off into the distance, and then blinking a few times… looking really freaked out,” Monty explained, and Bellamy let out a groan. Then, Monty noticed Bellamy glaring at him. “Have you not been watching the feeds this week?”

“Haven’t had the time. Care to give me a recap?” Bellamy asked, quirking his head to the side.

“Well, as far as we know, Jaha hasn’t told her exactly what he said to Clarke, but we’re pretty sure she figured it out based on how many times she’s called Clarke and how she spends most of her time watching old family videos with Jake in them,” Jasper said, and Bellamy rolled his eyes, remembering how he just had to turn Clarke’s phone off after a while. Seeing her mother pop up on her screen would make her unravel all over again.

“It’s gotta be something more than just guilt that’s messing her up, though. Like, she looks like she’s on something strong,” Monty muttered.

“Could she be?” Bellamy asked, not taking Abby Griffin for the type but not willing to rule it out.

“If she is, she’d have to be doing it in her bedroom,” Monty explained, and Bellamy let out a sigh, remembering that there were very few rooms in that house without cameras.

“Marcus hasn’t been hearing from her much lately, but that might just be because of Jaha going off on her,” Bellamy said, tapping on his chair, as he looked up to the ceiling.

“Oh, they’re about to separate. He’s hiding money and she’s slowly moving stuff out of the house,” Jasper added in, before Monty got a text.

“Harper’s downstairs, be right back,” he muttered as he stood up and rushed out the door. Bellamy checked his own phone, seeing that Marcus had updated him. Clarke got out of bed again today. He let out a sigh of relief, throwing his head back slightly.

It took him a few minutes to realize Jasper was staring at him. He raised an eyebrow at Jasper, but Jasper just looked so sad.

“What’s going on?” Bellamy asked, as Jasper looked down at his hands and swallowed.

“We wouldn’t judge you if you wanted to step away, you know?” Jasper said, and Bellamy blinked a few times, not understanding where this was coming from. “If this whole thing became too much, you could leave like Octavia did. We would understand.”

“Jasper, why would I step away now? We’ve never been closer to finishing this thing,” Bellamy groaned, almost frustrated that Jasper could be suggesting this.

“Clarke,” Jasper answered, and Bellamy felt his chest tighten up at the mention of her name. “If things are getting to be too much for her, you two could just walk away. We could find another way to bring them down.” Bellamy glanced down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs in his lap.

“I don’t know if either of us could actually walk away. I’ll talk to her about it when she’s doing a bit better,” he murmured, not looking up at Jasper.

“Bellamy,” he heard Jasper say, his voice almost pleading, and Bellamy forced himself to look up at him. Jasper looked more emotional than he normally did… his normal teasing demeanor absent. Bellamy knew what Jasper was getting at. He needed to make sure that Clarke was going to be able to go through with this and be okay in the end. After all, these people were her family. Despite everything they’ve done to her, it won’t be easy for her to turn on them.

“I know,” Bellamy whispered, nodding weakly.

“I just don’t want you to lose someone too,” he replied, and Bellamy’s chest started to ache at those words. Jasper looked like he was going to cry for a moment, but shook it off. “Besides, I really like Clarke. She got me the new iPhone,” he said with a smirk, and Bellamy forced a chuckle.

“Yeah, I kind of like her too,” Bellamy replied, and Jasper started wiggling his eyebrows at him.

 

“Where’s Clarke?” he asked as soon as he walked into his house, seeing Marcus sitting at the kitchen table.

“Hello to you too,” Marcus muttered, and Bellamy let out a huff, waiting for his answer. “She’s upstairs.” Bellamy blinked a few times, glancing at the staircase, then back at Marcus.  “She’s painting, Bellamy.”

Bellamy started moving toward the stairs, not sure he believed this. Clarke hadn’t even touched her sketchbook in days. This was a huge improvement.

“Wait!” Marcus shouted, and Bellamy let out a loud groan before turning around to face him. It was bad enough that he was away from Clarke for this long, but now Marcus was stopping him from seeing her now. “Wells stopped by today.”

That made Bellamy walk toward him, his eyebrow raised, waiting for more explanation.

“I eavesdropped on their conversation,” Marcus said, gesturing to his laptop. Bellamy rolled his eyes, because now there was a legitimate reason for his house to continue to be bugged. He had been fighting Raven about it for a while now, and Clarke always took Raven’s side. And, now, there was finally justification for it. “Abby is losing her fucking mind.”

“Well, good. She should be. She murdered her own husband,” Bellamy said flippantly, refusing to feel bad for Abby Griffin for even a moment.

“No, I mean she is seeing things. Wells moved back into the house to keep a better eye on her. Apparently, last night, he woke up to her screaming in her sleep.”

Bellamy nodded, remembering how Monty had detailed a few weird interactions between Wells and Abby over the last few days. They must not have covered the footage from that night yet, since they never mentioned seeing Wells rush through the hallways to check on Abby.

“How did Clarke react to that?” Bellamy asked, his eyes flickering back to the stairs.

“She looked genuinely concerned while Wells was still here…” Marcus said, pinching the bridge of his nose as he trailed off.

“But?”

“As soon as he wasn’t looking, she smiled,” Marcus said with a slight smirk. “I think she appreciates the irony that Abby now feels like she’s the one going crazy.”

“And she’s well enough that she can fake giving a shit about Abby’s wellbeing,” Bellamy snorted, and Marcus nodded along. “Alright, if there’s nothing else, I’m going to go see her now.”

Marcus waved him off, as he started to pack up his stuff. Bellamy practically sprinted up the stairs to get to Clarke. He followed the sound of music to one of the back bedrooms that Bellamy hadn’t figured out what to do with yet. He nudged the door open quietly, seeing Clarke sitting in front of an easel, her back to him. She had her phone hooked up to the speaker, playing soft violin music. Her hair was up in a messy bun, and she was wearing athletic shorts and an oversized white button up. Most importantly, she looked so calm, completely at peace.

“Hey, princess,” he whispered hesitantly, not wanting to startle her. She glanced over her shoulder, giving him a soft smile, and Bellamy thought his heart could explode from happiness. She looked so much better than she has in days. He strode over to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he examined the canvas.

“I hope you don’t mind. Echo brought this stuff by, and you’ve literally done nothing with this room,” Clarke said with a shrug.

“Not at all. I’m just mad that I didn’t think of this sooner,” he said, as his fingers found her shoulders. She leaned back into him, her eyes back to being fixed on her canvas. “This looks oddly familiar,” he observed, trying to remember where he recognized this from.

“You’re thinking of the painting right outside Thelonious’ study. I painted that one too,” she said with a slight shrug, as she dabbled her paintbrush into a light-yellow paint.

“Wait, that one was yours?” Bellamy asked in slight disbelief. He had seen it a hundred times, in person and on the feeds. He had just assumed that like all the other paintings in the house, it was the work of some fancy, expensive artist.

“Yep. My mother hates it,” Clarke said with a slight chuckle, and Bellamy blinked a few times, not totally believing that Clarke just mentioned her mother so casually.

“Why? It’s beautiful,” he asked, as he started to rub Clarke’s back.

“Because I painted it for her after we got into a huge fight about me going to art school. I don’t know. She’s never been real supportive of this,” Clarke muttered, and Bellamy pressed a slow kiss to her cheek.

“She’s an idiot, Clarke,” he reassured, and Clarke turned to press a peck to his lips. He started grinning like an idiot as he watched her get back to work, because, fuck, she looked so beautiful like this. So at peace and happy. And, after holding her for several days straight, waking up to her heartbreaking sobs… this was such a huge relief.

He ended up dragging a chair into that room, so he could sit comfortably in the same room as Clarke. She kept to herself for the most part, getting lost in her painting. Meanwhile, Bellamy was tracking the feeds and taking notes of things that Jaha was saying in his study while on the phone.

He would constantly look up to watch Clarke for a bit, resisting the urge to get up and wipe the blue stripe of paint off her face. If she noticed him staring at her, she didn’t say anything. She was very focused on her painting, probably too focused to observe Bellamy smiling at her.

As Bellamy looked back at his laptop, he noticed Abby knock on Jaha’s door. He put his other headphone back in so he could hear the conversation.

“Make it quick,” Jaha muttered, not looking up from his laptop.

“I’m not seeing Marcus anymore,” she said calmly, but that didn’t seem to concern Jaha. In fact, he looked completely indifferent. Bellamy pulled out his phone to text Marcus, wondering if he knew that they weren’t seeing each other anymore. As far as Bellamy knew, they were still very much involved.

“I’m having a weird case of déjà vu,” he mumbled, as he pulled off his readers to glance up at Abby.

“Thelonious, please,” she snapped, crossing her arms.

“I genuinely do not care if you have your little affair, Abby,” he replied with a slight shrug, and Bellamy furrowed his brows at the screen. He knew that they didn’t exactly having a loving marriage… but, still. He had to care a little bit.

“Clearly, you do, or you wouldn’t have gone after Clarke,” she spat, and Bellamy forced himself to take a deep breath. He glanced up at Clarke, who was leaning back, cocking her head slightly, as she eyed the canvas up and down.

Then, he heard Jaha chuckle, which snapped Bellamy out of his trance, and brought his attention back to the screen. “That had nothing to do with Kane,” he growled, and Bellamy bit his lip. “Do you think I don’t see what’s going on with you?”

Abby blinked a few times, leaning back in her seat. Bellamy studied her more closely, starting to see what everyone was so worried about. She looked worse than Clarke had been. At least Clarke had been getting sleep. But, Abby looked like she couldn’t sleep, like maybe she hadn’t eaten either.

“I know you took some files from Griffin Global’s archives before you left. And, I don’t like what you’re thinking about doing with them.”

“Those are just my insurance policy against you,” she growled, and Jaha smirked again.

“I don’t want to turn on you. But, then I see you rewatching footage from Mt. Weather, or find out that you’ve been looking into Aurora Blake… and, I’m not going to lie, it looks like you’re planning on turning on me.”

Bellamy swallowed, realizing that Abby never told Jaha about what Bellamy confessed to her. Otherwise, Jaha would know why she was looking into Aurora Blake. But, he didn’t know that Abby had been watching Mt. Weather coverage, and he was started to believe that the guilt was getting to her. Clarke always said that it would, that her mother could be provoked into snapping if they kept piling guilt onto her. Maybe the truth about Jake Griffin was the final straw.

“Clarke, did you ever find Titus?” Bellamy blurted out, before remembering that he was specifically trying not to talk about the plan with Clarke. She blinked a few times, before glancing over at him. Bellamy pulled out his headphones, sucking in a breath.

“Yes, just before I came back,” she said, before pressing her lips together and looking down at her hands. “He needed to finish up some of his work, but he should arrive in Arkadia any day now.”

“That’s great,” Bellamy said excitedly, as he closed his laptop.

“Is she really about to snap?” Clarke asked, as she started to put up her paint.

“Maybe. She’d discreetly moving some of her stuff out of the house, so I think the separation is about to happen. But, she doesn’t look too great.”

“Good,” Clarke snapped, and Bellamy swallowed, nodding.

 

When Bellamy came home from work the next day, he had expected to find Clarke back upstairs painting. But, he should have known better after leaving her alone with Echo all day.

“I bet even Jasper hits harder than that,” Echo snapped, before Clarke swung at her. Bellamy cleared his throat, hoping for some kind of explanation for why fight club was happening in his living room, but the girls ignored him. Instead, Echo blocked Clarke, before knocking her to the ground.

“Echo,” Bellamy said sternly, which caught her attention.

“What?” she groaned, before Clarke swung her legs to hit Echo in the back of her legs, knocking her backwards onto the ground.

Then, Clarke sat up with a smug grin, while Echo glared at Bellamy. He burst out laughing, as he tugged off his coat and tossed it onto the table.

“What the fuck, Clarke?’ Echo growled.

“You slapped me earlier,” Clarke said with a shrug as she stood up, and Bellamy started glaring at Echo as he crossed his arms. This was not what he meant when he asked her to help cheer up Clarke. He didn’t think he’d have to specify not to attack Clarke… but, it was Echo… and he should have known better.

“At least you didn’t shoot me again,” Echo muttered, as she pushed herself up.

“Wait, you’ve shot Echo before?” Bellamy asked, and Clarke looked so angry all of the sudden.

“That’s not what happened!” Clarke yelled, wagging a finger at Echo, who just smirked. “The bullet just grazed you!”

“An explanation would be comforting,” Bellamy said, even though Clarke was clearly not listening. She let out a loud huff before storming off into the kitchen. “Echo?”

“Okay, she didn’t shoot me,” Echo said reluctantly, as she dusted herself off. “She shot the gun out of my hand to keep me from killing this one guy, and the bullet might have grazed my hand,” she shrugged, and Bellamy furrowed his brows in confusion. The more he learned about these girls’ relationship, the less it made sense to him.

“Wait, did you kill the guy?” he had to ask.

“No, because stupid Clarke shot the gun out of my hand,” Echo shouted in Clarke’s direction.

“You had the wrong guy!” Clarke yelled back, as she stormed into the room, now carrying a glass of water. “And, to be fair, I thought I could shoot it out of your hand without hurting you.”

“Should’ve watched that Mythbusters episode,” Echo retorted, before going to pick up her coat. “She’s your problem now,” she said to Bellamy, and he rolled his eyes at her.

“Last time I ever ask you for a favor,” he muttered, and Echo let out a loud groan.

“Hey, she’s out of bed and too busy bitching me out to be sad. You should be thanking me,” Echo snapped, before moving toward the door. “Bye bitch!” she called out to Clarke, before walking out.

“Did Echo do any permanent damage?” Bellamy asked as he crossed over to Clarke, checking her for any new bruises.

“No,” Clarke said with a slight chuckle, and Bellamy couldn’t help but press a long kiss to her lips after hearing that beautiful sound.

“One day, I do need to know how exactly you two become friends,” Bellamy said as soon as he broke away.

“I wouldn’t call us friends,” Clarke replied with a small smirk, and Bellamy narrowed his eyes at her. It was almost cute how the two of them pretended not to give a shit about each other, but would also probably die for each other. “And, I can’t tell you much, or Echo will have to kill you,” she replied in a tone that was joking, but he also knew there was a lot of truth to those words.

 

After Clarke showered, they both found themselves back upstairs. Clarke started a new painting, while Bellamy reviewed all the footage from that day. He stopped when he noticed Abby pick up a phone call, that had her immediately startled… but, once it was over, she seemed remarkably calmer.

Without the other half of the conversation, it made very little sense. He was starting to get frustrated, and Clarke noticed immediately.

“Hey, why don’t we go to bed?” she asked, snapping him out of his frustration. He looked up at her, realizing that she was worried about him.

“Yeah, okay,” he said, slamming his laptop shut. Clarke put her supplies away quickly, and Bellamy noticed her keep shooting him concerned glances. He moved toward her, giving her a reassuring rub on her shoulders. She had enough stuff to deal with… she didn’t need to take on his frustrations too.

Clarke’s hair was still a little wet as they climbed into bed, he noticed as he kissed the top of her head.

“Talk to me,” Clarke whispered, curling into his side.

“No, Clarke, it’s fine,” he murmured, and her head shot up to glare at him.

“Bellamy, I’m fine. Tell me what’s going on,” she ordered, her brows furrowed at him.

“I’m just frustrated,” he sighed. “I don’t really understand what is going on in your mother’s head right now, and while I know that she’s moving out tomorrow, I know very little about what all she’s up to.”

Clarke was quiet for a moment, and Bellamy glanced at her to read her face. He was worried that she would start getting worked up again… but, that wasn’t what was happening. No, Clarke looked like she knew something.

“Clarke…”

She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. He could see her brain working quickly, as she thought carefully about what to say.

“Bell, I might have done something,” she said shyly, and Bellamy immediately sat up, his mouth agape.

“Clarke.”

“I was really angry when I left Jaha’s office,” she snapped defensively, and Bellamy leaned forward and started rubbing her arms.

“Clarke, just tell me what you did. I won’t get mad,” he reassured, because Clarke wasn’t capable of doing something he couldn’t forgive. She was a fundamentally good person. Sure, she killed Dax, but only to save him. She does questionable things… but, for usually good reasons.

“Well, I was driving home, and I started thinking about all the times she made me feel like I was making stuff up, like I was crazy,” she said, looking down at her hands, and Bellamy could see a few tears start to come out. He swallowed, not liking that she was getting upset again. She had been okay just an hour ago. He leaned forward, to push the tears off her cheeks. “I wanted her to know what I feel like, for even just a second.”

“Is this why you went to the house while we were at the auction?” Bellamy asked hesitantly, and Clarke nodded. He narrowed his eyes at her, trying to figure out what Clarke could have possibly done to make Abby unravel like this. All he knew was that she went into Abby’s room, but he couldn’t see what she did.

“I, um,” she started, before swallowing. “I switched out some of her medications.”

Bellamy’s jaw dropped, not expecting that to come out of Clarke’s mouth.

“It won’t kill her or anything,” Clarke started explaining defensively. “She’s mostly on anxiety medication as is.”

“You’re drugging your own mother,” Bellamy said in disbelief, leaning back slightly as he examined Clarke’s face. “I’m not judging, at all,” he reassured when Clarke narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m just kind of mad I didn’t think of it sooner.”

He started thinking through the last few days, how Abby seemed to be more paranoid, more exhausted… always zoning out. Clarke was messing with her head… and it could work out brilliantly for them. It seems to be what’s inspiring Abby to get up and leave, which means they would have successfully separated them.

“What are you giving her?” he had to ask, kind of stunned at how brilliant this was.

“A drug that Echo told me about years ago. It’s what she gives to people when she…” Clarke trailed off, not sure if she should tell him. He nodded, knowing how protective Clarke was of Echo’s secrets. “But, it causes some minor hallucinations, makes it hard to sleep… and a few other things. Nothing too serious. It’s a low dose.”

“Okay, Clarke,” Bellamy said, grabbing both of her hands, to snap her out of her guilty tone. “Do you feel bad that you drugged her or that you kept this from me?” he asked, smiling softly.

“That I kept it from you,” she said, and Bellamy pressed his lips together and nodded.

“Good, because your mother had this coming,” he reassured, hoping that Clarke didn’t even feel an ounce of guilt over her mother. He pulled her back onto his chest, running his fingers through her slightly damp hair again.

They sat there in silence for a few moments, as Bellamy tried to imagine how Marcus would respond to this. He would probably be upset about it… but that’s just because he didn’t know about it. In all honesty, it was kind of brilliant. She was just rattled enough to be reckless. Clarke nudged her farther than they could have gotten her in months. Now, when she ran into Titus, she would be ready to snap.

“You’re fucking brilliant,” Bellamy whispered, pressing a kiss to Clarke’s forehead.

 

Like he expected, Marcus freaked the fuck out. But, everyone else was amused. Echo seemed to have suspected it, which makes sense given her familiarity with the drug.

Clarke had decided to spend her day with Wells, which she had been excited about. And, it meant that he could relax just a bit more. She was slowly starting to be herself again, and her smile was becoming more and more frequent.

The rest of the gang gathered at Jasper’s house, watching the feed of Abby screaming at Jaha, while movers dragged her things out the front door.

“You walk out that door and it’ll be the last thing you do,” he threatened, and Echo snorted.

“I’m done with your threats, Thelonious,” she growled, pushing him back on the chest.

“How could you forget everything I’ve done for you?” he yelled, as he chased Abby toward the door.

“One rarely forgets the deal they made with the devil,” she growled, as she picked up her purse. Jaha grabbed her wrist, and Abby turned around and decked him. Bellamy smirked, realizing where Clarke got her ability to punch from. Then, she stormed out the door, and Jaha stormed back to his study.

“Okay, I’ll admit that worked out,” Marcus conceded, and Monty started giggling in response. It was a well-known fact that Marcus hated any plan that he didn’t come up with, and he hated that Clarke went rogue.

“Keep watch over both of their bank accounts and internet activity. Especially Abby’s,” Bellamy said to Jasper, Monty, and Raven, as he picked up his stuff.

 

When he got back home, he saw Clarke was already there. He had hoped to find her upstairs painting, but she was in their bedroom, back in bed. He let out a sigh, as he got undressed to climb in with her. It had been days since he had last seen her like this, and he feared what could have happened to make her take this step backwards.

“Clarke, what’s going on?” he asked sweetly, as he climbed in beside her, and Clarke immediately buried her face into his neck, wrapping her arm around his waist. He gripped her tightly, pressing his lips onto the top of her head.

They sat like that in silence for what felt like half an hour, as he listened to her sob into his t-shirt and ran his fingers through her hair.

“How could she do it?” she finally whispered, and Bellamy felt his stomach tie itself into a knot.

“I don’t know, Clarke,” he answered honestly… because he couldn’t imagine having someone he loved killed… especially someone like Jake Griffin. He could never do something like that to Clarke. He would never understand why Abby did what she did.

“She ruined me,” Clarke said gravely, and Bellamy looked down at her, hating that Clarke thought she was ruined… that she was broken. She hadn’t said something like that in days, and he had hoped it was just something she was feeling in the moment… but now, he feared she really believed it.

“Clarke, no she didn’t. You are perfect,” he reassured, but Clarke started shaking her head quickly.

“No, I’m not. My brain is messed up, Bell,” she said, sounding frustrated as she fought to get the words out. “She killed my dad, she convinced me that I was crazy, and she sent me away,” she kept talking, tears now pouring out of her eyes. He rolled her onto her back, as he leaned over her, rubbing the tears from her cheeks.

“Clarke, please,” he pleaded, not sure of what to say to Clarke. She had a point. Her mother did a number on her… but that didn’t mean she was messed up.

“I could have been a normal person. We could have met under normal circumstances,” she muttered, shaking her head.

“But, we didn’t, Clarke. You can’t dwell on what could have been,” he reassured. “I love you.”

She blinked a few times, her eyes finally meeting his, as he pushed the hair out of her face. Her lip was quivering slightly, as her hand reached up to rest on his chest.

“I could have been the person you thought I was, not some confused girl who can’t even admit she loves you,” she whispered, and Bellamy crashed his lips onto hers, trying to distract her from these thoughts. She whimpered into his mouth, as she gripped his shirt tightly, pulling him down on top of her.

“Clarke, look at me,” Bellamy ordered against her lips, and her eyes flickered open. “I don’t want the person I thought you were. I want the Clarke who is terrifyingly smart, who is a hell of a shot, and will fuck me up if I try to lie to her. I want the girl who outsmarted me at every turn and came after me in that storage unit.”

“Bell—”

“I wouldn’t change a thing about you,” he interrupted, gripping her face tightly. “I hate what you had to go through, and it keeps me up at night. And, we’re going to make them suffer for what they’re putting you through,” he reassured, stroking her cheek with his thumb. Her mouth opened slightly like she was going to say something, but no words came out. Her eyes were wide, and the tears stopped flowing. “And I don’t need to hear those words to know they’re true. It’s okay.”

“I love you,” she whispered so quietly that he barely heard her. He pressed a slow kiss to her lips, his heart pounding at that confession… and what it really meant. That even though she was terrified to say them, she still did… for him.

“I love you so much, Clarke,” he whispered back, before pressing his lips back against hers. Then, his lips started pressing small kisses all over her cheeks, and he could taste the salt from her tears on his lips. If he had his way, he would make sure Clarke never had to cry again.

Clarke slowly pushed him back onto his back, so she could tuck herself against him. She hummed happily into his neck, as he pulled her tight against him.

“You know, I found out that you and I had met before,” Bellamy remembered suddenly, and Clarke’s head popped up, her brows furrowing in his direction. “After the City of Light event, your mom was watching those home movies. And, while you were taking care of her, I watched one from bring your kid to work day at Griffin Global.”

“What?” Clarke asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“My mom worked at Griffin Global, Clarke,” Bellamy clarified, and Clarke’s eyes widened excitedly. “I don’t remember that day, but apparently she dragged me and Octavia in to work that day.”

“There is footage of this?” Clarke asked excitedly, and Bellamy started chuckling.

“Oh, it gets better,” Bellamy said, still laughing, as he sat up slightly. “You were apparently so excited about other kids being there, that you literally sprinted to me and hugged me. I was less than thrilled,” he told the story, and Clarke was giddily hanging on every word. “I don’t really know what else happened that day, but, from what I could tell, you and Octavia quickly became coconspirators and I was annoyed with you.”

“How have I not seen this video?” Clarke asked, hitting Bellamy on the chest. “Also, why are you just telling me about this now?”

“I just remembered!” he said, putting his hands up defensively, and Clarke scrunched her face up at him.

“I’m finding this video,” she muttered, as she lowered herself back down on his chest.

“I don’t think we would have been friends back then,” Bellamy teased, which made Clarke start glaring at him again.

“Clearly, that’s on you. I hugged you. I did my part,” Clarke smirked, and Bellamy bit his lip to keep from laughing.

“Oh, you and Octavia would have become best friends, which would have made me hate you. You’d annoy the hell out of me, and then when we were both teenagers, I’d have an awkward crush on you that I wouldn’t understand because I thought I hated you,” he mused, and Clarke started giggling, and it was such a beautiful sound. He ran his fingers through her hair.

“Were you cute as a teenager?’ Clarke asked, her face looking skeptical.

“Of course, I was cute,” he snapped, but Clarke didn’t look like she was buying it.

“Sure,” she muttered, and Bellamy let out a groan, as he leaned over to grab his phone. He started scrolling through the old photos that Octavia had posted of him on his birthday last year. Then, he pulled up one that he wasn’t embarrassed by and showed it to Clarke. “Okay, you were cute. I might have had a crush on you, then,” she conceded.

“Might? Clarke, look at those freckles. I know you have a weakness for my freckles,” he teased, and Clarke started blushing, burying her face into his chest. He threw his phone back onto the nightstand, before pressing a kiss to Clarke’s cheek, loving how shy she was about this. “I have to believe that any version of Clarke Griffin would have a massive crush on me,” he whispered into her ear, and she finally looked up at him. He could see her blushing, even in the dark, as she bit her lip.

“You’re impossible,” she muttered, but he could see her smile breaking through.

“And, I was back then, too. But, you find that endearing. So much so that you and I probably would have gotten together anyways,” he teased.

“Eh,” Clarke teasingly shrugged, “I barely like you now.”

“Nope, you love me,” he reminded her, and she buried her face back into his chest, muffling her laughter. “And you would have loved me in this weird alternate universe. You would have married me.”

“Depends, did you randomly propose to me in front of a Marriott in this alternate universe?” she teased, and Bellamy let out a loud groan.

“No, but I’m sure you would have found a way to heckle me during the proposal anyways,” he retorted, and Clarke accidentally snorted, which only made him burst out laughing.

“Not my fault you weren’t prepared,” she snapped back with a grin.

“Okay, it’s not that I wasn’t prepared,” he clarified, and Clarke rolled her eyes. “It’s that I was procrastinating. I loved you, so obviously I didn’t actually want to propose to you.” Clarke’s head snapped up, narrowing her eyes at him with a funny grin on her face. “Okay, that came out wrong. I mean, I loved you, so I didn’t want to go through with Marcus’ dumb plan.”

“Nice save,” Clarke teased, poking his chest.

“Shut up,” he muttered, closing his eyes slightly. “Anyway, the alternate universe proposal would have been better anyways. So, I would have married the fuck out of you.”

“Married the fuck out of me?” Clarke questioned his wording, but Bellamy was standing by that.

“Yep, and we’d have had at least two babies by now,” he continued, and Clarke playfully rolled her eyes, before resting her head on his chest.

“You have clearly thought about this,” she teased, before pressing a kiss to his neck.

“I just take comfort in thinking that we would have ended up together anyway,” he clarified, before leaning down to kiss Clarke’s forehead. Then, she tilted her head up, her eyes pleading with him. So, he pressed a slow kiss to her lips, gently biting her lower lip.

“Well, it sounds like we could have had such a beautiful life,” Clarke murmured, as she rested her head back down on his chest. Bellamy blinked a few times, looking down at her, a bit put off by her wording.

“We still can, Clarke,” he said seriously, as he brushed a few stray pieces of hair from her face. Her lips parted slightly as she stared back at him, and he let his thumb graze her bottom lip.

“Yeah,” she said, with a slight smile, and Bellamy felt a powerful warmth radiate in his chest.

Yes, he found it comforting to think that they would have ended up together in normal circumstances. But, they didn’t live in a normal world. They were both broken at a young age, and had been fighting to get to where they were. And, if anyone was deserving of a happy ending, he had to believe it was them. He was going to do whatever it took to give her a beautiful life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle in, you guys. The drama is about to ramp itself back up.


	20. Guilt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a little rough at the end. But, there's some sweet smut in there too. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you guys for your continued support of this fic. It's officially the longest one I've ever written, and I've just been loving all of your feedback. Love you guys!

Guilt manifested itself in different ways, Bellamy was coming to realize. Marcus’ guilt over not doing enough all those years ago, led him to create a powerful plan to make things right. Clarke’s guilt over what her family had done drove her to hunt down every living person who had been affected by Mt. Weather and find some way to make their life easier. Bellamy’s own guilt over finding a way to be happy when so many horrible things were happening all around them pushed him to keep fighting.

On the other hand, Jaha’s guilt seemed to have little effect on him. From what Bellamy gathered, he buried it deep down and it made him more paranoid. Abby Griffin was slightly different, in that while her guilt was buried deep down, it wasn’t so deep that they couldn’t get to it. And, thanks to Clarke’s rather vindictive and impulsive actions, the guilt was starting to pour out.

“And, I made sure to get an extra bedroom upstairs in case you ever need to come stay with me,” he watched Abby say on the screen, and rolled his eyes. The only reason Clarke went to see Abby was so she could install cameras in her new house.

“That won’t be necessary,” Clarke replied, sounding almost emotionless. Abby swallowed, glancing back at Clarke with a nervous expression. From what Bellamy could tell, they hadn’t had the real conversation yet, unless it somehow happened before Clarke installed the living room camera.

“Clarke, talk to me,” Abby said, as she crossed over to Clarke. Bellamy gripped the side of his desk, feeling nervous at the sight of Abby getting too close to Clarke.

“You and I both know what Thelonious told me. We have nothing to talk about,” Clarke growled, as she moved toward the front door. Bellamy bit his lip, having mixed feelings about this interaction. On one hand, he wanted Clarke to get out of there before she full-on snapped at Abby… But, on the other, he needed her to mess with her head a bit more.

“I’m sorry,” she pleaded, and Bellamy could tell she actually meant that. He still wasn’t sure if she was sorry because she killed him or because Clarke knew.

Clarke slowly turned around, her jaw tense. “You didn’t just take my dad from me. You took my mom too,” she growled, and Bellamy swallowed as he nodded along, as if somehow Clarke would know he was encouraging her even while he was at work.

“Clarke.”

“My mom died that day too. My mom loved me, she took care of me, she would have never let me think I was crazy. She wouldn’t have killed her husband. She wouldn’t have killed all those people,” Clarke growled, and Bellamy saw Abby’s hands start to shake again. He forced himself to take a deep breath, praying that this wasn’t going to be too much for Clarke so soon after everything that happened.

“I am still that person, Clarke,” she pleaded, stepping toward Clarke. “I made horrible mistakes, and if I could go back and change them, I would.”

“That doesn’t bring him back!” Clarke shouted, before slapping her mother across the face. Abby started rubbing at her cheeks, her eyes looking rattled as she kept pleading with Clarke. “I have to go,” Clarke mumbled, and Abby grabbed her wrist desperately. And, in this moment, Abby Griffin appeared exactly how he and Octavia hoped she would all those years ago, when they imagined what she would be like once everything was taken from her. Clarke was the last thing she had. And, she was about to break.

“Please, how about in a few days when you’ve calmed down, we can talk about this again,” Abby begged, and Bellamy leaned back in his seat, waiting for Clarke to go in for the kill.

“No,” Clarke said calmly, and Abby’s eyes widened even more. “I don’t ever want to see you again. This is it,” Clarke continued, narrowing her eyes at her mother, who looked devastated. Bellamy almost felt bad for her. Then, he started listing off the number of lives she was responsible for taking, and he quickly got over that. “You are dead to me,” were the last words out of Clarke’s mouth, before she stormed out of the house.

He immediately started dialing Clarke, as he kept his eyes on the screen.

“You saw all that?” she asked after picking up the phone.

“Yes, how are you?” he replied, watching Abby shakily move toward her new kitchen. She was surrounded by boxes since she hadn’t finished unpacking.

“How do you think?” Clarke answered in a way that told him she was smirking, and he let out a sigh. “It was hard, though.”

“I know, princess,” he sympathized, even though he really had no idea what she was going through. The only person who could come close to understanding Clarke’s feelings at the moment was Marcus, and that’s just because he also has a complicated relationship with Abby Griffin. “She’s drinking now,” he observed, and Clarke let out a huff.

“Well, Titus is going to show up at her house tonight. Let’s just hope she stays sober enough,” she muttered.

 

Bellamy furrowed his eyebrows as Raven slid an envelope to him, before moving over to Jasper and Monty and giving each of them their own large envelopes.

“Should I be scared?” Bellamy asked, as he pulled it open.

“These are just in case of an emergency,” Raven explained, as she plopped down in the seat across from Bellamy’s desk. He pulled out a passport, furrowing his brows as he tried to make sense of this.

“Am I going somewhere?” he asked nervously, and Jasper started groaning loudly.

“Why couldn’t I pick out my fake name?” he yelled, and Raven burst out laughing.

“This was Echo’s idea,” Raven explained, still chuckling. “Since we’re getting closer to Jaha, she suggested this as a safety, in case he pulls something we’re not prepared for.”

“We’re not going to have to skip town,” Bellamy reassured Monty who had a panicked expression on his face. He wasn’t entirely sure that was true, though. Jaha had enough resources to get vengeance on them if he ever figured out what they were up to. “So, you made these for all of us?” he asked, as he flipped his open.

“Not Echo and Clarke,” she said, and Bellamy’s head flipped up, eyes wide. “Clarke already had one, and don’t worry, I gave you two the same last name,” she teased.

“And Echo?” Bellamy asked, and Raven averted her gaze, letting out a slight sigh. “Raven, spit it out.”

“Look, it’s not my place to say anything about Echo. I really don’t know that much about her,” she shrugged, and Bellamy let out a groan. Monty and Jasper quietly made their way out of his office, probably sensing an argument about to take place.

“You know more than I do,” Bellamy said sternly, tucking the passport into his bag before anyone saw it.

“I don’t think Jaha will suspect Echo’s involvement when this is all over, since she’s kind of invisible to him,” Raven said, and Bellamy wondered if that was why she didn’t want new identification. After all, as far as Thelonious knew, Echo was Clarke’s ditsy friend who drank too much and was jumping from boyfriend to boyfriend. She didn’t exactly come off as a threat.

“But, if things really did fall apart, why wouldn’t she want to run off just like us?” he asked, still bothered by how little he knew about her. Raven pressed her lips together, clearly trying to think of a clever way to avoid the question.

“Because, taking down Jaha isn’t her endgame,” she said carefully, and Bellamy tilted his head, waiting for a further explanation. “Look, she won’t say much to me or Clarke, and we’re both fine with that. The less we know the better. But, from what I gather, she has her own mission, and Jaha getting busted is just a small part of it.”

Bellamy blinked a few times, realizing that he had never once asked what Echo’s connection was to Mt. Weather. Raven’s relationship to Sinclair was easy for Monty and Jasper to find, so he didn’t have to ask her. But, Echo had only existed officially for the past two and a half years.

He tapped his desk a few times, as Raven dismissed herself, muttering something about needed to get home. He wasn’t really listening. He was too busy wondering if Echo even had a connection to Mt. Weather. He realized that Clarke might not even know the truth.

He shouldn’t question Echo, since it was clear she was on their side. But, it was unnerving to not know what she hoped to get out of all this.

 

“Did I miss it?” Clarke asked as she jogged into the living room, and Bellamy pressed his lips together, nodding slightly.

“The call wasn’t that important. Titus is coming over to the house tomorrow to talk to her, but Abby seemed pretty relieved to talk to him. This is good,” he reassured, as he closed his laptop.

She let out a huff as she pulled off her jacket, clearly a little disappointed that she didn’t make it back home in time to see the phone call. He pushed himself to stand up, moving over toward her.

“Seriously, I’m not even sure what they talked about because I only got half the conversation,” Bellamy reassured, as he gripped Clarke’s chilled cheeks in his hands, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Okay,” she whined, before leaning up to kiss his lips gently. Bellamy quickly wrapped his arms around her, feeling her skin start to warm up in his embrace.

“So, Raven stopped by today and gave me my new passport for when we have to flee the country,” Bellamy said casually, and Clarke’s eyes narrowed at him, trying to read his reaction.

“It’s a good idea. You know, just in case,” Clarke said nervously.

“Clarke, I agree,” he reassured, raising his eyebrows at her. “The thing I’m more concerned with is that Echo doesn’t want one,” he said, almost as a question, and Clarke broke away from the embrace, looking a little flustered.

“Look, Bell—”

“Do you know specifically what Echo’s connection to all of this is?” he asked directly, leaning against the back of the couch, as Clarke started pacing.

“She isn’t actually connected to Mt. Weather, no,” Clarke said vaguely, and Bellamy bit his lip, watching her stare at her own feet. Then, Clarke’s phone started to ring and she shot Bellamy an apologetic look as she took the call. She listened to her phone for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh. Then, she walked over to Bellamy and held out her phone for him.

Bellamy furrowed his brows at Clarke, before taking the phone and pressing it to his ear.

“You know that I still have access to the feeds in your house, right?” he heard Echo snap, and he let out a loud groan. Clarke shot him a look as if to remind him that she tried to avoid this, and he rolled his eyes.

“Hello to you too, Echo,” he muttered, as he turned around, waving at the camera.

“You know, if you have doubts about my commitment to the cause, you could have asked me directly,” she said smugly, and Bellamy raised an eyebrow at the camera, as if to indicate he was listening. “I’m not going to give you specifics over the phone, because I’m not an idiot. But, let’s just say that Jaha isn’t what I’m after.”

“What are you after?” he asked, as Clarke let out a huff and walked into the kitchen.

“I’m trying to find the man who gave him the idea to blow up Mt. Weather. He did something similar in the city I’m from. Me and a friend of mine have been hunting him for years.”

“Who is he?” Bellamy asked, getting comfortable.

“A ghost. This is the closest we’ve ever gotten to him.”

“Who is ‘we?’” he had to ask, since he knew that Clarke wasn’t really involved. She and Echo just had a common goal for the time being.

“Well, now it’s just me. But, I used to have a partner in this, before he decided to turn away from the mission. Bellamy, I can’t tell you much more.”

He nodded, understanding her need for secrecy. Clarke hesitantly walked back in, and Bellamy held out her phone for her. She took it, pulling it up to her ear. She listened for a few moments before hanging up.

“I want those cameras gone,” Bellamy groaned, and Clarke let out a sigh, as she walked over to him.

“What if something happened while we weren’t here? Think of it as home security,” Clarke said, as she tugged at the lapels of his jacket.

“And what if I wanted to have a romantic evening with you but didn’t want our annoying band of delinquents spying on us?” he teased, as he brushed her hair behind her ear.

“I’d say it’s a good thing you’re not super romantic,” she joked, and Bellamy raised an eyebrow at her.

“Challenge accepted,” he teased, and Clarke rolled her eyes as he pulled her in for a quick kiss.

 

“What you’re feeling is guilt,” Titus said, as he tapped his feet on the floor. Bellamy was carefully watching the feeds in Abby’s house, making sure that everything went according to plan.

“I don’t feel guilty,” she snapped, clenching her jaw slightly. “I did what I had to do.”

Titus narrowed his eyes at her, leaning back with an almost judgmental glare. “You didn’t have to do any of it.”

“You’re coming off awfully judgmental for someone who manipulated perfectly good people into conspiring with us,” Abby retorted with a smirk, and Bellamy saw Titus’ jaw clench. Everything Bellamy had read told him that Titus had changed, that he had devoted his life to serving others, clearly trying to atone for what he did at Mt. Weather.

See, Titus was an ideal mark. He had no living family, he had nothing that Jaha could threaten. Plus, he had clearly embraced the guilt he felt and set himself on a right path. Which meant he would willingly confess if he thought it would do some good. Of course, his confession alone would do nothing to Jaha and Abby. But, if he coerced Abby into confessing, then, they would be getting somewhere.

“Abby, you’re not the monster you think you are,” Titus said suddenly, and Bellamy accidentally snorted as he watched. “Sure, you agreed to a lot of what Thelonious proposed, but you didn’t actually know about Mt. Weather until after it happened.” Bellamy tilted his head, not knowing this part. He had always assumed that Abby was a knowledgeable coconspirator to Jaha… but, then again, Griffin Global had less connection to Mt. Weather than The Ark did.

“I should have known. And, I knew what I was doing was illegal, but I didn’t know that people would actually get hurt,” she muttered, and Bellamy could see her start to crack again. Clarke had removed her medications when she visited the day before, meaning Abby should slowly start becoming normal again. But, the memories of whatever hallucinations she had were still haunting her.

“You say you’ve lost your daughter now, too,” Titus continued, and Abby nodded, looking down at her hands. “Yet, you claim you did this for her. At least, that’s what you told me all those years ago.”

“Stop,” Abby warned.

“Isn’t that why you killed Jake? Because he would have gotten all of you arrested?” he asked, and Abby swallowed before standing up.

“What was I supposed to do? If he and Aurora confessed, all of us would have gone down. Clarke and Wells would have been orphans, not to mention Pike’s boys.”

Bellamy blinked a few times, trying to decide if he believed her or not. Bellamy would never want to condemn a child to what he went through in foster care, especially not his own. But, he wasn’t sure he could do what Abby did to protect Clarke from that… if that was her reason.

“So, you left Aurora’s kids to become orphans instead?” Titus snapped, and Bellamy sucked in a breath.

“That was Thelonious,” she growled, and Bellamy bit his lip so hard that he broke the skin. Of course, she would pass the blame for that one. But, he knew she had a willing part in that one as well. After all, who told Jaha that Aurora knew? The only two people who knew about Jake’s conversation with his mother were Clarke and Abby.

“You can’t keep picking and choosing when to take responsibility for your actions, Abigail.”

Abby blinked a few times, watching Titus carefully, and Bellamy could see the wheels spinning in her head. He knew that even though Abby’s drugs were wearing off, she was still unnerved. She had been tracking down family members of those lost at Mt. Weather when she couldn’t sleep at night, she had been watching videos of Jake, she had gotten so sick that she left Jaha. She was close… so very close. Bellamy just had to trust that Titus would be enough to push her over the edge.

“Are you going to take responsibility for yours?” she retorted finally, and Bellamy sucked in another breath.

“I want to, but I’d prefer not to do it alone,” he said, raising an eyebrow at Abby.

They sat in silence for a few moments, and Bellamy checked his phone. Clarke had informed him that Jaha had left early for the day, but didn’t know why… but, Monty and Jasper didn’t find him on the feeds at home either. That wasn’t promising.

“I can’t turn on Thelonious,” Abby finally said after several minutes, and Bellamy let out a groan. “If I ever brought him down, there’s no telling what he would do in retaliation.”

Titus studied her closely, his thumbs twiddling in his lap. “Maybe you could just turn yourself in, leave him out of it,” Titus suggested, and Bellamy banged his hand on his desk in frustration. He had hoped that Abby would be able to take him down with her.

But, with Abby out of the way, it would be easier to get to Jaha. So, Bellamy was willing to settle.

After a few minutes of silence, Abby’s front door swung open, and Bellamy moved the cameras around just in time to see Jaha storm into the house.

“Abby!” he yelled, and Titus immediately flinched in response.

“Excuse me,” Titus muttered, as Jaha glared him down. Abby didn’t say anything, just looked at Jaha apologetically, while Titus escaped toward the front door. Bellamy let out a groan, not liking that things were finally going right and Jaha interrupted.

“What is he doing back here?” Jaha growled, and Bellamy immediately started texting Echo, getting her to tail Titus in case Jaha tried to pull something shady.

“He just wanted to talk. He’s a priest now, did you know that?” Abby said, face just as stoic as Clarke’s when she tries to keep her cool. Jaha pressed his lips together angrily, his eyes disbelieving.

“What have you been telling him?” he asked in a warning tone.

“Nothing he didn’t already know. I’m just trying to get some things off my chest so I can sleep at night,” she muttered, as she got up to head toward her kitchen. “Leave my house, Thelonious. You have no right to be here.”

He followed her into the kitchen, and Bellamy quickly switched feeds. “Do I need to worry about you?” he asked in a threatening tone, and Bellamy finally saw Abby look as angry as she normally did when fighting with him. Then, she swallowed, forcing a calm face as she looked him up and down.

“No. I have just as much to lose as you do,” she replied, and Bellamy knew she was lying through her teeth. Abby was at her breaking point. She lost Clarke, and was scared to get close to Marcus. She lost Griffin Global, she lost the City of Light. For the first time in eighteen years, Abby Griffin had nothing left to lose.

“Remember that,” Jaha replied quickly, before turning around, storming out as quickly as he stormed in.

After a few minutes, he saw Abby quickly start dialing on her phone. He sucked in a breath, praying it was Titus.

“Yes, this is Abby Griffin,” she said, voice confident. “You were right,” she continued with a sigh, and Bellamy threw his head back in relief.

 

Clarke stopped walking before she stepped in the door, looking confused as she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Bellamy.

“You’re letting the cold in,” he pointed out, but Clarke just kept blinking as she looked around the room.

“What’s going on?” she asked hesitantly, as she shut the door behind her, still not moving any more forward into the room. Bellamy smirked, as he carried a glass of champagne to her.

“We are celebrating,” he said, before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“What happened?” she asked excitedly, a grin forming on her face. Bellamy took her glass and put it on the kitchen table, before helping her out of her coat.

“Your mother is going to go with Titus and confess,” he said, and Clarke started grinning ear-to-ear. Then, Bellamy wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in for a kiss. She threw her arms tightly around his neck, and he picked her up in a slight spin, loving the sweet laughter that erupted from her lips.

“It’s really happening,” she whispered once he finally set her down.

“Well, we still have to deal with Jaha,” he reminded, and Clarke let out a huff. “But, this is a big step,” he reassured, cupping her face in his hands.  

“So, wait, you actually cooked just to celebrate that?” Clarke asked, as she glanced at the kitchen table. Bellamy let out a mock-offended groan, even though he knew this was rare for him. He and Clarke were takeout people mostly, if he was being honest.

“No, I cooked because you told me yesterday that I am not romantic,” he reminded, narrowing his eyes at her, as Clarke bit her lip.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” she groaned.

“Just shut up and sit down. I’m trying to romance you,” he teased, and Clarke let out a loud chuckle. God, he loved that sound.

 

Bellamy was aware he wasn’t the best cook, but, he tried. And, Clarke seemed happy with her meal, which he was relieved by.

“Okay, I take it back, you can be romantic,” Clarke groaned, as Bellamy sucked just below her ear.

“I know,” he smirked, and Clarke playfully hit his arm. “Okay, maybe I haven’t been as romantic as I should have been with you, but to be fair—” he tried to argue before Clarke crashed her lips into his, and Bellamy let himself climb on top of her, pushing her to lie down on the couch as his tongue searched for hers.

“You’re perfect,” Clarke whispered against his lips, and as much as Bellamy wanted to argue against those words, he found himself melting into them, letting them echo inside his ears. Sure, he knew it wasn’t true… but, it sounded so certain coming from Clarke.

“I love you,” he said, pressing his forehead against hers. He could feel her breath brushing against his lips, and Bellamy swears he could spend the rest of his life just like this… just holding Clarke close.

“I love you too,” she replied, and Bellamy wasn’t sure he could ever get used to hearing those words. He pressed a slow kiss to her lips, but his smiling was getting in the way… making it too messy. Clarke didn’t care. She smiled against his lips, throwing her arms around his neck as she pulled him closer, giggling slightly.

After a few minutes like that, Bellamy sat up, remembering something. “I have a present for you,” he said excitedly, as he got up to grab his laptop. Clarke furrowed her brows, following after him. “Nope, stay right there,” he ordered, and Clarke let out a huff. God, his princess was so impatient.

When he came back into the living room, Clarke was narrowing her eyes at him skeptically.

“I might have stolen something from your mom,” he explained, which only made Clarke look more confused. He ignored her questioning glares as he logged onto his computer. Then, he set it in his lap and pulled Clarke in close, just waiting for the video to start.

He watched her, as she struggled to figure out why she was watching one of her old home videos.

“Aurora!” Jake called out on the screen, and Clarke’s eyes widened immediately, looking up at Bellamy with complete and utter excitement.

“Sorry, we’re late,” his mother said, and Clarke started hitting his hand enthusiastically. Bellamy chuckled, pulling Clarke in so he could kiss her forehead.

“Oh my God, look at you!” Clarke shouted, and Bellamy kept chuckling. He would have watched the video, but he had already seen it a hundred times today. It was way more exciting to watch Clarke see it for the first time. “And, Octavia!”

“Every year I drag Clarke in, and she’s always mad that no one else brings their kid in. Today, you get to have some friends,” Jake said, and Bellamy saw Clarke’s eyes soften. Then, his favorite part of the video happened, as young Clarke sprinted over to young Bellamy, gripping him in a huge hug.

“Bellamy,” Clarke said, grabbing his hand, but not taking her eyes off the screen.

“Yeah, back then I barely let my sister hug me,” he joked, as Clarke squeezed his hand, biting her lip as she kept watching the video. By now, young Clarke had moved away from his younger self and was with Octavia.

As soon as the video was over, Clarke turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow at him. “You hated me,” she teased, poking his chest as he shut his laptop.

“I was nine,” he clarified, before Clarke crashed her lips back into his.

“You still hated me,” she teased against his lips between kisses. He chuckled in response, before peppering her face with kisses, listening to her beautiful giggles. He tossed his laptop onto the coffee table, before pulling Clarke even closer.

“But, I love you now,” he reminded, and Clarke started blushing again. He pushed a few strands of hair away from her face, before pressing a slow kiss to her forehead. “God, I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she replied, but Bellamy was nowhere near done with his confession.

“Clarke,” he whispered, closing his eyes as he pressed his forehead against hers. “I know that when we first got together, it was… not what I wanted for us,” he said, not sure that even summed up how they began.

“Bellamy—”

“But,” he interrupted her, because he needed to get this off his chest, “I never stood a chance. I was going to fall in love with you. How could I not?” he said with a slight chuckle, and he felt Clarke grip the collar of his shirt tighter, but he couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes. He knew if he looked at her eyes right now, he would break out into a sob. “I wish I could have given you a more honest start to our relationship, but, I also wouldn’t change a thing about what we have now.”

“What’s going on?” Clarke asked, her voice sounding concerned, and Bellamy’s eyes flickered open, seeing her eyes bore into his.

“We haven’t talked about where we will stand when this is all over,” he explained, his voice catching slightly. Clarke opened her mouth to say something, but he shot her a pleading look to let him finish. She slowly closed her mouth, her eyes still searching into his. “I never knew peace until I met you,” he confessed, and he could feel his eyes start to water up. Clarke’s soft, gentle hands started holding onto his face, her thumbs stroking his cheeks. “When our work here is done, when Jaha is gone… I, uh,” he stumbled, cursing himself that he couldn’t get this perfect for her.

“Bell,” she whispered reassuringly, her eyes encouraging him.

“I want to do what I should have done. I want to run off, just the two of us, and marry you like I should have,” he said, and Clarke’s eyes widened, but she didn’t interrupt him. “I want us to come back here eventually, to meet our new niece or nephew and start our own little family.”

Now, he could see Clarke crying too, and he just prayed they were tears of happiness. Then, her lips crashed into his, and it knocked the breath out of him. He pulled her as closely as he could to him, but it would never be close enough. He whimpered into her mouth desperately, as she gripped his face tightly.

“Okay,” she finally whispered with a huge grin, and Bellamy almost attacked her lips in response. “Bell,” she whimpered, as his lips trailed down her neck excitedly. Then, her fingers ran through his hair, before she pulled his head back, shooting him a smirk.

“Yes, princess?” he asked, knowing that his smile probably couldn’t get any better.

“I think you should take me to bed,” she replied, voice low, before she bit her lip. And, Bellamy didn’t hesitate to jump off the couch, and pick her up in his arms. She buried her face into his neck, giggling sweetly, and Bellamy couldn’t make it to his room fast enough.

No words were spoken as they quickly undressed each other. No words could encompass everything Bellamy was feeling in this moment, and the way Clarke looked at him told him everything he needed to know.

He collided into her quickly, pressing her back into the mattress, as his lips caressed hers. He gripped her hand tightly, holding it above her head against the mattress. She squeezed his hand gently, as his lips travelled down to her jawline.

“Bellamy,” he heard her murmur breathlessly, and his eyes flickered up to meet hers. “Whatever happens, I’m yours.”

Bellamy closed his eyes, as he began kissing down her neck, those words echoing in his head. He remembered how not too long ago she would make him repeat that sentiment to her, forcing him to accept it for himself. But, he still couldn’t believe that something so beautiful could be his. That she would let him keep her.

He pressed a long kiss to the top of one of her breasts, and her fingers found his hair again. He moaned against her nipple as she started massaging his scalp. His eyes flickered back up to hers as he began sucking, savoring the beautiful blue eyes that gazed back at him so tenderly.

His hand massaged her other soft breast, as his ears focused on how her breath would catch each time he squeezed.

“Bellamy, I love you so much,” she whispered, as he started sucking harder. “Fuck, Bell,” she whimpered, and he would never get tired of her beautiful voice. He switched over to her other breast, keeping his eyes on her sweet face as he latched onto the nipple. Her eyes were slightly dazed and lustful, as if his lips were everything she needed.

He closed his eyes and moaned as he tried to take more of her generous breast into his mouth. He could feel her heart rate start to pick up, as he attacked her breast with his licks and sucks.

“Bellamy, please,” she begged, as Bellamy pulled his lips off her breast, biting his lip as he looked at her longing face.

“What do you want, sweetheart? My fingers? My mouth?” he asked, and he would have given her anything she wanted at this moment. He would kiss and lick at her beautiful cunt all night if she asked. He would be perfectly content feeling her come over and over on his eager tongue.

She shook her head slightly as she swallowed, and Bellamy sucked in a breath to control himself. “I want you, Bell,” she finally said, and Bellamy let out an accidental moan.

“Yeah?” he asked breathlessly as he climbed up her body.

“Please,” she begged, before leaning up to press a kiss to his lips. Her eyes were so full of want and love, and Bellamy couldn’t even deny her for even a moment. He kissed her forehead before sitting up slightly, situating himself between her soft legs.

“Anything for you, princess,” he smirked, and Clarke watched him closely as he entered her, worrying her lip. The tender way her eyes flickered up to his once he was fully seated in her was almost enough to make him come right there. He lowered his body on top of hers, slowly rocking into her, as he pressed slow kisses to her lips, taking the time to explore her gorgeous mouth with his tongue.

Her tongue found his eagerly, and Bellamy shuddered at the contact. One of his arms was braced beside her head, while his other hand found hers, holding it on the other side of her head.

“You’re everything to me, Clarke,” he murmured against her lips as soon as he broke away to catch his breath. Her hips tilted up to meet his, and he immediately buried his face into her neck, biting slightly as she kept bucking against him.

“Bell,” she whimpered breathlessly, and Bellamy lifted his head slightly to meet her loving eyes. “Keep your eyes on me, please,” she pleaded, and how could he deny her? He pressed his forehead against hers as he picked up his pace, inspired by Clarke’s sweet encouragements. “I love you, Bell. I love the feel of you,” she whimpered, and Bellamy gripped her hand even tighter.

“I love the feel of you, princess,” he replied with a small smile, as he pressed even deeper into her.

“Still calling me princess?” she teased with a raised eyebrow, before he thrust even harder into her, and her lips made a beautiful “O” in response.

“You’re my princess,” he reminded, voice low, and Clarke bit her lip, her eyes not leaving his. He could feel her tightening around his cock, so he sped up his thrusts, focusing on the beautiful breaths escaping Clarke’s lips.

“Please, Bell,” she begged after one of his harder thrusts, and he knew she wouldn’t last much longer. Hell, he wouldn’t either with how she kept speaking such gorgeous words to him.

“I’ll take care of you, baby,” he reassured, as he pressed a hard kiss to her lips. She moaned into his mouth, as he started slamming into her. Her grip on his hair tightened, and her moans kept echoing inside his mouth. He chased those moans, as he felt her pulse around his cock. He kept his eyes open as she came undone around him, her lips uttering _Bell_ and _I love you_ and _please_ over and over.

He followed quickly after her, pressing his lips against hers, losing himself inside his beautiful wife.

They didn’t speak for a while after. He just held her close as he ran his fingers through her hair, while Clarke traced the freckles on his face with her fingers. He couldn’t stop smiling at her, picturing what kind of beautiful life he would have with her.

 

The phone call woke them both up early in the morning. Clarke sleepily rubbed her eyes as she answered the phone. Bellamy sat up, fixing her bedhead out of habit.

“Yes, this is Clarke Griffin,” Clarke said nervously, as her eyes flickered to Bellamy. He slid closer to her, putting a hand on her lower back. Then, he felt her start to shake a little under his touch.

“Clarke?” he asked desperately, and her lip started quivering as she nodded, her eyes panicked.

“I will be right there,” she stuttered out, before hanging up the phone. Bellamy pulled her closer, stroking her cheek as he waited for her to say something… anything. “That was the hospital.”

“Clarke,” he pleaded, his mind trying to figure out who it could be. Maybe Wells, or Echo.

“We need to get dressed,” she said, flustered as she pulled herself out of bed. Bellamy flickered on the lamp, as he got up to grab a shirt quickly. He watched her as she froze, bracing her hand on the bedpost as she tried to compose herself. Then, her eyes flickered back to Bellamy… and, she looked heartbroken.

“Who is it?” Bellamy asked as he crossed over to her, taking her face in his hands.

“My mom,” Clarke said weakly, and the tears started flowing.

“She will be fine,” he reassured, as he started to grab his pants, thinking the sooner they got there the better.

“Bellamy,” Clarke’s voice cracked, and Bellamy turned back to look at her, his heart sinking with realization. “They’ve called me there to identify her body.”

 

Echo found him in the lobby, since Clarke insisted on going alone.

“We have a problem,” Echo muttered, and Bellamy could honestly care less about how Abby’s death affected their revenge plan at this point, so he let out a huff.

“It can wait until tomorrow,” he muttered, keeping his eyes on the door, waiting for Clarke to come back and say it wasn’t her. Despite what a monster Abby Griffin was, she was still Clarke’s mother… and she would be devastated if she died too.

“Her brakes were ripped out of her car, Bellamy,” Echo snapped, which caught Bellamy’s attention. “And… Titus was in the car with her.”

“Fuck,” Bellamy snapped, causing one of the other people in the waiting room to jump. He waved at him, trying to apologize, but his mind was reeling with questions. “Is he alive?”

“He probably would have been if they had found them sooner,” Echo replied, and Bellamy wasn’t sure he even wanted to know how she knew all this. He glanced up when he saw Clarke walk back in. And, the look in her eyes shattered his heart. “It had to be Jaha,” was the last thing Bellamy heard before he sprinted over to Clarke, wrapping her up tightly in his arms.


	21. Forgiveness

Death was no stranger to Bellamy Blake. Abby Griffin’s funeral was not his first or his last. It wasn’t even the first time he had mixed feelings about someone’s death.

Abby Griffin helped ruin his life. She may not have ordered his mother’s murder, but she was compliant… just as she was with Mt. Weather. But, despite how much he wished he could feel better about her death, he happened to love two people who loved Abby Griffin, despite everything she had done.

For Clarke, it was easy to understand. Abby was her mother, after all. In recent history, Clarke held nothing but contempt for the woman… but, there was a time before Mt. Weather where this would have been different. Bellamy had watched enough home videos from the Griffin household to know that Clarke had two parents who loved her more than anything… and, Clarke was happy and loved them both in return. So, no matter how much hatred she had for Abby, there were memories of deep love cracking through that hatred.

For Marcus, on the other hand, it was less easy to understand. Bellamy still knew very little about their history. He mused, based on Clarke’s side comments, that Marcus’ love of Abby Griffin preexisted her marriage to Jaha, perhaps even her marriage to Jake. It explained his deep affection for Clarke, even after all these years. Bellamy knew that Marcus’ conscience is what pushed him to break off his relationship with Abby, despite it being clear as day that somehow he still loved her. And, being pushed back toward her recently did not help.

So, Bellamy watched from a distance as Clarke and Marcus comforted each other. Neither one of them would confide their grief in him, which he understood. They didn’t expect Bellamy to feel anything for Abby Griffin after everything she had taken from him. In a lot of ways, they were the only people who could understand each other.

He reached out to Marcus, of course, and held Clarke closely whenever she needed him… but, neither of them dared to speak about Abby to him.

Abby’s death had brought back a lot of memories about the people he had lost over the years: his mother, Maya, Roma… and Sterling.

Sterling was the one he kept coming back to, while Clarke worked with Thelonious on the funeral preparations. Sterling had been his foster brother, turned coconspirator once Bellamy learned the truth about his mother’s death. Those were the early days when Bellamy was a bit reckless and impatient, feeling the rage take over.

_“What are you going to do when all of this is over?” Sterling asked him one day while they were digging through files they had stolen._

_“What do you mean?” Bellamy grumbled._

_“I mean, you want to get revenge on these people, put them in jail or whatever. But, then what?” he asked, blinking up at Bellamy._

_Bellamy pressed his lips together as he thought those words over. It’s not that Bellamy hadn’t thought about it… it’s that it seemed too far away to concern himself with. “I’ll lead a normal life. I don’t know,” he blew him off, and Sterling let out a huff._

_“Are you always going to hate these people, or when they meet their maker, will you be able to forgive them?” he asked, and Bellamy glared at him like he was an idiot for even suggesting forgiveness._

Bellamy had always said his story was not one of forgiveness. But, he was coming to realize that Marcus’ might be… maybe even Clarke too.

He thought about this a lot the night before the funeral, when he was eavesdropping on Marcus and Clarke. They both had too much to drink, and let their guard down enough to actually share pleasant stories about Abby. Marcus told Clarke about the year that Abby decided she was going to keep a garden in the backyard, followed by anecdotes about Abby screaming when she saw a worm or about how Abby planted at the wrong time of year and nothing grew. Clarke, in turn, described how her mother would regularly lie to Clarke’s boarding school so that they could have mother-daughter spa days, and, when they got caught, paid for an extension of their library so the school would not take it out on Clarke.

It wasn’t until the funeral itself that everything started to click. Clarke was keeping herself busy, seeming to be very business as usual as she talked calmly with Jaha, even though Bellamy knew she wanted to rip his throat out.

“She was so close,” he heard Marcus whisper, causing Bellamy to blink a few times as he observed the closest thing he’d ever had to a father.

“What?” Bellamy asked, and he realized that Marcus had been drinking again. He was staring at the picture of Abby next to the casket with a confusing expression on his face.

“Just five more minutes and she would have reached the station,” he muttered, before sitting down. Bellamy swallowed, now glancing at Abby’s picture. Then, he glanced over at Clarke, who was now being bombarded with people trying to express their condolences. Her face was just as confusing as Marcus.

It was at this moment that Bellamy realized they both needed Abby to confess, to redeem herself in some way… because they needed to find a reason to forgive her. They needed a reason for it to be okay that they loved her.

Bellamy held Clarke close during the service, watching her closely. But, she didn’t cry. People took turns saying a few words about Abby Griffin, and Bellamy noticed Clarke looking like she was battling herself while Wells spoke.

“Clarke, you’re allowed to grieve her,” Bellamy whispered into her ear, and her eyes shot up to him, looking confused.

“It’s alright,” Clarke snapped, as she turned back to listen to Wells. Bellamy glanced around behind him, noticing that Marcus had kept himself in the back, probably per Jaha’s request. But, he had a similar conflicted expression on his face.

“She is your mother. Don’t not say goodbye to her just because of what she did to me,” Bellamy had to say, and Clarke tensed up at those words. He hated saying them… but, it needed to be said. He appreciated that Clarke and Marcus had tried to make this easier on him… but, today was not about what Bellamy needed. “I forgive her, Clarke. You can forgive her too,” he whispered, before pulling back, leaving Clarke to decide what she wanted to do.

Bellamy wasn’t sure he could completely forgive Abby Griffin. He wasn’t exactly the forgiving type. But, if she had lived, she would have confessed… and maybe lived long enough to make it easier for Bellamy to forgive her.

He let out a relieved sigh as Clarke got up to speak. Bellamy glanced back at Marcus who was giving him a quizzical look. Bellamy nodded, as if to reassure that Bellamy understood. They needed to say goodbye… they needed to forgive.

Clarke chose to share one of the stories he had heard her tell Marcus, and it earned a few sweet laughs from some of Abby’s friends. Bellamy nodded at her, to encourage her.

As she stepped down, Jaha stood up to offer her a hug. Bellamy swallowed, looking away… he couldn’t stand to see Clarke’s face when Jaha whispered anything to her. But, something else caught his eye.

Echo had walked away from the service, moving toward the very back where no one would hear her. And, she was talking with Roan. Bellamy glanced back over at Wells, who didn’t seem concerned that his boyfriend wasn’t nearby, and then his eyes flickered back to Echo.

The two of them looked so serious, as Roan listened patiently to her. But, Echo’s face looked familiar… like it did when she was planning something.

 

“What is going on between you and Roan?” Bellamy asked as soon as the service was over.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Echo replied, raising an eyebrow at him. Bellamy rolled his eyes, not in the mood for Echo’s shenanigans today. There was already enough going on… he didn’t need to add arguing with Echo to the list.

“Did he find out about whatever dirt you told Jaha about him?” Bellamy mused, and Echo snorted, probably surprised that Bellamy remembered that. But, he wasn’t a forgetful person… he remembered the shady things that Echo did, because he had to.

“Oh, I warned Roan about that beforehand,” she rolled her eyes, looking around the room, almost bored. Bellamy let out a huff, seeing Roan look at him and Echo from the other side of the room where he was talking with Wells. Bellamy raised an eyebrow at him, and Roan narrowed his eyes… almost like he knew something.

“How do you two know each other?” Bellamy asked suspiciously, and Echo flipped her head to the side, eyeing Bellamy up and down.

“No comment,” she answered, before taking off toward Clarke.

Bellamy groaned, plopping down in a chair. Then, Marcus sat down next to him.

“How are you doing?” Bellamy asked, and Marcus swallowed, looking down at the ground.

“As good as to be expected, I guess,” he mumbled, and Bellamy nodded, pressing his lips together. “So, what is our next move?” Marcus asked.

“Let’s not worry about that right now. We need to take time to regroup,” Bellamy explained, and Marcus groaned.

“Bellamy, I don’t want to take time and regroup. I want to keep busy,” he argued, and Bellamy clenched his jaw.

“Well, you can come with us tomorrow as we go through Abby’s house looking for any clues as to where she stashed all her evidence against Jaha,” Bellamy whispered, and Marcus nodded enthusiastically.

After a few minutes, Clarke walked up to him, arm in arm with Thelonious Jaha. Bellamy swallowed, remembering to force himself to seem pleasant.

“I was just telling Clarke that you two are welcome to come stay at the house for a while. Being around family is important at a time like this,” Jaha said, as Marcus quietly excused himself.

“I think tonight I just want some quiet. But, I’ll think about it,” Clarke said, for probably the third time. But, Jaha wanted Bellamy to hear it from his mouth that there was an invitation extended.

“That’s such a kind offer,” Bellamy added in, trying to suck up to Jaha some more. He smiled, as he unlinked arms with Clarke, before pulling Bellamy in for a hug.

“You need anything, you just call me. Please, take care of Clarke,” he whispered, and Bellamy nodded, before pulling away, forcing a smile on his face.

As soon as Jaha was out of earshot, Clarke whispered, “I want to slit his throat.”

“Get in line,” Bellamy teased, and Clarke hit him on the arm. “Want to go home?” he asked, eyeing the endless group of people that wanted to bombard Clarke with their condolences.

“Yeah, we need to hurry up and get changed,” Clarke said, as she linked arms with him, pulling him toward the exit. Bellamy furrowed his brows at her, confused.

“Are we going somewhere tonight?” he asked, swallowing.

“Echo needs our help with something,” Clarke replied, and Bellamy absolutely did not like the sound of that.

 

“Have you lost your damn mind?” Bellamy yelled at Echo, who was tapping her nails on her desk. Clarke had dragged him out to that building that Echo had taken him to when he attacked Pike.

“If you haven’t noticed, Bellamy, things have escalated. More extreme measures need to be taken so we can end this quickly,” Echo retorted, before looking at Clarke and raising an eyebrow. Clarke was tearing off her gloves and tossing them onto where she had thrown her coat.

“Clarke tried to kill Pike last time she saw him,” Bellamy reminded her, and Clarke let out a loud groan.

“I wasn’t going to kill him,” she snapped.

“Bellamy, you don’t have to be here for this,” Echo reminded, and he let out a frustrated sigh.

“Clarke, could you give the two of us a moment?” he asked through gritted teeth. Clarke narrowed her eyes at both of them, before stepping out of Echo’s office, closing the door behind her. “She just lost her mother.”

“Do you trust me?” Echo asked, and Bellamy let out a snort. Of course, he didn’t trust her. She was constantly lying and scheming. He was fairly certain that Echo could kill him in one move if she wanted to. Trust wasn’t the right word. “Do you trust me when it comes to Clarke?” she clarified, noticing his hesitation.

He let out a sigh, thinking back to how much Echo had been in Clarke’s corner. For years, she had kept Clarke hidden… taught her how to fight… taught her how to protect herself. And, it was clear that Echo was completely loyal to Clarke, even if she had strange ways of showing it. Bellamy closed his eyes and nodded slowly, not liking that he had to trust her when it came to Clarke.

“Okay, she needs to let her frustration out. I need to get whatever else I can from Pike… and he knows she will kill him if he stops being useful.”

“Then, just use me again. I can scare the information out of him,” he pleaded, not wanting to take the chance that Clarke would kill Pike.

“Not like she can,” Echo said, almost in an admiring tone. “Look, either he knows nothing, in which case I’m going to kill him anyways, or he starts spilling out the darker secrets he’s been keeping because he knows that Clarke won’t only kill him, but will make him suffer first.”

“You better be right,” Bellamy growled, as he opened Echo’s door, cueing Clarke to walk back in. She raised an eyebrow at Bellamy, and he gave in and nodded. “I’m staying in the room, though,” he listed his one condition, and Echo just smirked in response. She walked over to the keypad to let them in.

Bellamy walked in after Echo, but Clarke wasn’t visible to Pike yet.

“Brought your lapdog back?” Pike smirked.

“Nope, I brought back an old friend of yours,” Echo teased, and Pike furrowed his brows at her. “Oh, and I thought you’d like to know that Jaha murdered Abby Griffin last week.” His eyes went wide with panic, and Echo smirked at Bellamy, as if to point out that she was right about him knowing something.

Then, Clarke stormed in, as Bellamy and Echo leaned against the back wall.

“Hello, Charles,” Clarke said calmly, her head tilting to the side.

“Clarke, I’m so sorry,” he muttered, as Clarke stormed over to him, slamming his head into the wall. Bellamy bit his lip, forcing himself not to intervene. He had to trust that Echo taught Clarke what to do.

Clarke crouched down next to Pike, her eyes looking cold as she stared at him. “I hear you’ve outlived your usefulness,” she said coolly. Pike opened his mouth to speak, looking a little bit dizzy from the impact of the wall. “Which means I finally get to kill you.”

Clarke stood up, her eyes flickering up to meet Bellamy’s. He nodded, remembering that he agreed to this. He sucked in a breath as Clarke pulled out her gun, shooting Pike in the foot. He let out a loud scream, and Bellamy swears Echo was smirking.

“I know more,” Pike finally said once he was done screaming. Clarke leaned back against the wall opposite from Bellamy, looking down at Pike.

“Speak,” she replied, clenching her jaw.

Bellamy could see the wheels in Pike’s head spin, as he was probably realizing that what he knew was the only thing keeping him alive. But, Bellamy suddenly understood the brilliance of Echo’s plan. Pike knew that Echo was a professional, that she wouldn’t kill him if there was still something she could get out of him. But, he didn’t have that certainty with Clarke. Especially not after Clarke just lost another parent.

He took too long to answer, and Clarke proceeded to put a bullet through his other foot. “I’m waiting,” Clarke said calmly as Pike whimpered in pain.

“Mt. Weather wasn’t their idea,” he whispered, and Bellamy noticed Echo straighten up, looking more serious.

“Whose was it?” Echo asked eagerly, and for the first time since Clarke’s breakdown, he saw Echo display actual emotion.

“I never met him. They would never speak his name,” he muttered, and Clarke’s eyes flickered to Bellamy’s. “I once overheard them talking about him. They kept talking about Praimfaya, too. They thought he orchestrated it.”

Bellamy swallowed, vaguely remembering Praimfaya. It was an attack almost as huge as Mt. Weather that happened just months before. Entire neighborhoods were burnt to the ground in the aftermath. Luckily, there had been evacuations, which spared the lives of hundreds.

“So, Abby Griffin knew who he was?” Echo asked, and Bellamy suddenly had a better understanding of why Echo was here.

“Both of them did. I think he’s who made sure they pinned it all on Sinclair. Abby and Thelonious were terrified of him, still are,” Pike panted, his eyes back up at Clarke. Clarke kept her hands on her gun, just to remind him of the threat, but Bellamy saw her fingers leave the trigger. He let out a relieved sigh.

“Tell me everything you know about him,” Echo ordered, and Clarke raised her eyebrows at him.

“Um, he likes to use wealthy business owners for these attacks. He doesn’t give them a lot of details about what they’re doing, but convinces them to buy up companies that would be hired by the government for disaster relief. It’s a way to increase profit,” he muttered, and Bellamy saw Clarke look panicked as she glanced up at Echo.

“Collins Industries,” was all Clarke got out before Echo and Bellamy made the connection. Griffin Global was what Jaha needed eighteen years ago, but since the attack, the corporation had lessened its involvement in disaster relief. Collins Industries had picked up some of that slack, which would explain why Jaha had been so aggressive about acquiring it.

“It’s going to happen again,” Bellamy said in disbelief, shaking his head. He glanced over at Echo, who was back to looking cold, her brain overworking itself.

“Both Abby and Thelonious would have had some evidence of who this man is,” Pike added in, and Clarke’s head flipped back to look at him, her lips slightly parted as she took this information in.

“Thelonious won’t help us since he’s clearly still in bed with this man, and my mother is dead. How are we supposed to find her evidence? We’ve spent months hacking her computer for this kind of thing,” Clarke snapped, her tone getting harsher. Bellamy tensed up, not liking how Clarke was working herself back up again.

“It was eighteen years ago, Clarke,” Pike said with a smirk.

“She has a hard copy somewhere, doesn’t she?” Bellamy realized enthusiastically.

“If she was smart… which she was,” Pike retorted, narrowing his eyes up at Clarke.

Bellamy glanced at Echo, who had been quiet for too long.

“Echo,” Bellamy said calmly, and she swallowed, glancing up at him.

“We need to get Jaha behind bars as quickly as possible,” she muttered, and Bellamy wanted to scream that this was always the plan. “Whatever this monster has planned won’t work if Jaha’s company and assets are frozen during an investigation. He needs Jaha.”

“That’s true, but we can’t move this along any quicker than we already are,” Bellamy groaned.

“We can if we find Abby’s evidence,” Echo retorted, and Bellamy pressed his lips tightly together. “We need to take care of Pike first, though,” she continued, glancing up at Pike who had a panicked expression on his face. “Oh, come on, you knew we were going to kill you,” she growled.

“He might have known something else,” Clarke snapped, and Echo rolled her eyes.

“If he knew something else, he’d be frantically spitting it all out right now,” she said with a smirk.

Bellamy shrugged, realizing she had a point.

“Please, don’t kill me. I’ve done everything you’ve asked for,” Pike pleaded, and Bellamy could see the devious smile on her face.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” she smirked, as she pulled out a knife from her back pocket. Bellamy shot a glance at Clarke, who was moving toward him, looking bleak.

“We don’t have to stay for this,” Clarke reminded him. Bellamy knew that Echo was going to make this hurt for Pike, and he was already in excruciating pain.

Even though Pike had done some horrible things, he felt bad for him. He had spent weeks tied up in here, being tormented by Echo. So, Bellamy did the most humane thing he could think of. He pulled out a gun and put a bullet through his brain quickly, putting an end to his pain.

Echo looked annoyed when she turned around to glare at him. He raised an eyebrow at her, challenging her to question him.

“Echo, we didn’t have time for this anyways,” Clarke mumbled, as she moved back towards Echo’s office. “Come on, Bell.”

“So, I’m just stuck with the body now? I didn’t even get to kill him,” Echo groaned, and Bellamy shot her a smug grin before walking into her office.

“We’ve got to go look for that evidence,” Bellamy reminded, and Echo flipped her middle finger up in response.

 

They tore apart Abby’s house for hours, looking for anything that seemed out of the ordinary. So far, all they found was further evidence that The Ark was pursuing Collins Industries, which made Bellamy feel sick.

He knew that there was no way they could prevent this attack unless they brought down Jaha. And, even then, that man would still be out there, finding another way to make it happen.

Echo didn’t take long to dispose of the body before she showed up. Clarke was busy upstairs going through her office again, which left Bellamy alone with Echo again.

“Was Roan your partner in this?” he had to ask, because it had been driving him insane all day since he saw her conspiring with him at the funeral.

“Don’t bring him up,” she growled, as she started digging through the kitchen cabinets.

“Echo, don’t you think we deserve to know what you’re up to?”

“Yes, he used to help me!” she snapped, looking murderous as she growled at Bellamy. “He was supposed to use Wells to get closer to the family. And then, when Jaha offered to buy him out, he saw an opportunity to get even closer to this man. But now he regrets it. Because he loves Wells and wants a normal life,” she pleaded. “I mean, you and Clarke want the same thing. All of you people do.”

“Echo,” he said hesitantly, realizing that he had struck a chord. “Isn’t that what you want?”

She thought about this for a moment, shaking her head as she tried to keep tearing through the cabinets. “One day, maybe,” she whispered finally, still shaking her head. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself once he heard Clarke move down the stairs. He went to meet her, also trying to give Echo a moment to compose herself.

Clarke was looking as frustrated as he felt, as she surveyed the room. Then, something caught her eye. He followed her gaze, to the painting that she made for Abby all those years ago.

“Clarke, despite everything, your mother loved you,” he had to say, knowing that seeing that painting was a reminder of her problems with Abby.

“No,” Clarke whispered, narrowing her eyes.

“Clarke—” he tried to say, before she took off toward the kitchen, and pulled out a knife. “What are you doing?” he asked, not liking how all over the place she had been today.

“She hates this painting,” Clarke said, as she started to move toward it.

“Okay, your mom is kind of a bitch. What are you doing?” he asked, following after her. Then, she whipped her head around to look at him.

“No, I mean, she hates this painting. Why would she go to the effort of taking it from outside Jaha’s study since seeing it makes her angry?”

Bellamy blinked a few times, not entirely sure he followed. Echo came into the room, with a slight smirk on her face. He shot her a confused look, but she only nodded at Clarke. Bellamy turned around to see Clarke cut through the canvas, and he kind of cringed, seeing her tear through her own artwork.

“That sneaky bitch,” Clarke murmured, and Bellamy suddenly realized what Clarke meant. There was only reason Abby would care about keeping that painting… if something in it had value to her. And, as Clarke pulled out a suspicious looking envelope, he had to admit that Abby Griffin was clever when it came to hiding things.

Echo jogged across the room, pulling it out of Clarke’s hands. Bellamy tried to jump in, but Clarke shot him a warning look. Echo slowly moved away from them, flipping through sheets of paper, throwing some old video tapes onto the couch. Bellamy held his breath, realizing that he was just feet away from what he had been chasing all these years.

Then, Echo’s eyes lit up, as she separated one sheet from the rest.

“Echo, what is it?” Clarke asked, stepping forward, but Echo took a hesitant step back.

“I found him,” she explained, her eyes threatening tears.

“What’s his name?” Bellamy asked, and Echo opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself. Then, Bellamy met Clarke’s sad eyes, and realized something was wrong here.

“I think this is where we part ways,” Echo said suddenly, and Bellamy felt his chest tighten.

“What are you talking about? We have to get Jaha first,” Bellamy said quickly, and Clarke shook her head at him, her eyes now threatening tears as well.

“You two need to get Jaha,” she said, folding up the sheet of paper and tucking it into her jacket. “I need to finish my own mission. You guys will stop the next attack, and, I’ll make sure there’s never another one.” Bellamy opened his mouth to argue, but Clarke tugged at his sleeve before he got the chance.

“She can’t tell us who he is, or we’ll know too much. If he finds out we know, he’ll kill us both,” Clarke explained, before Echo crowded them both in an unexpected hug. Then, she pulled away just as quickly, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

“You can’t just take off. We can help you,” Bellamy begged, not liking the idea of Echo taking this guy down alone. He was clearly dangerous.

“This was always my plan, Blake,” Echo said with a forced smirk, and Bellamy was suddenly struck by how much he was going to miss her. “Once you take down Jaha, your mission is done. And, you two get to be happy,” she said, before glancing at Clarke. “I’ve done everything I can to help, Griffin.”

Bellamy glanced at Clarke, whose lip was quivering slightly, and he knew this had to be breaking her heart. Clarke had known all this time that Echo would have to leave… but, it was clear that Echo had been her closest friend for years. He wrapped his arm around Clarke’s waist, as Echo stuffed everything back into the envelope, and handed it to Bellamy.

“May we meet again,” Echo said, glancing between them, before walking toward the door. As soon as the door was shut, Clarke started heaving into Bellamy’s chest, as he held her tighter.

“We’ll see her again… when all of this is over,” he reassured, rubbing her back with his free hand. Eventually, Clarke pulled away, rubbing her eyes slightly.

“What all is in there?” Clarke asked weakly, gesturing her head toward the envelope. Bellamy let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding as he poured its contents out carefully. There were audio tapes from The Ark dated August 1, 1999. There were a few financial records, that detailed how Abby and Jaha used The City of Light to hide their money during the investigation. The original documents that would prove Sinclair’s innocence were there, proving that what the police had was forged. He couldn’t even begin to get through the rest of the papers, seeing so many familiar names that had been crossed off his list.

“We’ve got him, Clarke,” Bellamy said excitedly, before tearfully pressing a kiss to her lips.

 

Everyone was fast at work around Jasper’s kitchen table. Raven was tracking down the man Jaha hired to kill Aurora Blake. Clarke was going through the paper trail that proved Dante Wallace helped cover it all up. Monty was listening to all the audio tapes, while Jasper worked on the video footage that Abby had hidden. Marcus was going through all the financial records, cataloguing what all they could prove. And, Bellamy was trying to figure out how long they had before Jaha finally obtained Collins Industries.

“I’m assuming we can’t just turn this all over to the police,” Raven muttered, and Bellamy let out a sigh.

“He’s bought them off before. It won’t be enough,” Marcus explained, not looking up from the papers.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure Bonnie and Clyde have something spectacular planned,” Jasper said with a smirk, and Bellamy bit his lip. Then, he glanced over at Clarke, who had been holding onto his hand while she worked. Her eyes flickered up to his, smiling softly at him.

“Oh God, they do,” Monty teased, looking between him and Clarke. Bellamy winked at him, and he and Jasper erupted into giggles.

“Just let me know when you’re gonna unleash hell, so I can remember to take off work,” Raven muttered, not looking up from her laptop.

“We’re taking him down tonight,” Bellamy declared smugly, before picking up Clarke’s hand to kiss the back of it. The rest of the group’s eyes flickered up excitedly to meet his. Marcus nodded, before Bellamy turned to look back at Clarke. She was smiling encouragingly, and Bellamy took a deep breath.

It might have taken eighteen and a half years… but, they were finally ready. Bellamy was going to make Thelonious Jaha pay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, we're reaching the end you guys. I haven't decided if it's going to be one or two more chapters, since I don't know if I want to do an epilogue. (like, I hadn't planned one, but I could, so I'm gonna debate this for a little while)
> 
> Idk, if you guys want an epilogue, let me know. I have an idea of what I would do, but I'm not married to it at the moment.


	22. Revenge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, THANK YOU for all the great comments you guys have been throwing at me. This has been the longest, most complicated fic I've ever written, and I've been so nervously excited as I posted each chapter. Thank you for the love, thank you for your theories, thank you for putting up with all the crazy cliffhangers and other instances of me just being extremely extra. 
> 
> I'm giving you guys an epilogue, which I'm already working on. 
> 
> And, without further ramblings from me, I hope you enjoy the final revenge.

_“Bellamy!” he heard in his nightmare. He kept trying to shake it off, trying to distinguish what was real and what wasn’t. “Bellamy, wake up.”_

_He woke up panting, his body in panic as he tried to observe his surroundings. “Mom, what’s going on?”_

_“You were just having a bad dream,” his mother reassured, smoothing his hair back. He glanced around his room. He was safe here, he reminded himself. His mother was here to protect him. And, as long as she was here, nothing could hurt him._

_“Will you stay for a little while?” he asked weakly, and his mom let out a sigh, before climbing into bed next to him. He curled against her, reminding himself over and over that he was safe here._

Bellamy blinked a few times, remembering that he couldn’t afford to be distracted today. Although, it was hard not to let his thoughts drift back to his mother, especially with how the day would end. He was just thankful that he wasn’t playing the morning she died over and over in his mind.

“A source inside the police department stated that former Griffin Global CEO Abby Griffin’s car had been tampered with prior to the accident,” the reporter announced, and Bellamy couldn’t help but notice a smug expression on Jasper’s face. “It is likely that whoever is responsible had access to Mrs. Griffin’s house, which leaves many speculating that it was someone within her own family. Primarily, her estranged husband, Thelonious Jaha. However, her step-son, Wells Jaha, and daughter, Clarke Griffin, have not been struck off the suspect list.”

Bellamy narrowed his eyes at Jasper, who was looking less smug. Bellamy wasn’t thrilled about this part of the plan. While he was confident that they could bust Jaha for it, he didn’t that there was a small chance Clarke could get dragged down in this. But, he supposed, this was what the passports were for.

“She will be fine. There isn’t enough evidence of tampering to even convict Jaha, let alone Clarke,” Jasper said, clearly reading Bellamy’s thoughts.

“Is Wells biting?” Bellamy asked, turning his head to look at Monty.

“I think so. Let’s just hope Clarke was right,” he muttered in response, still typing on his computer.

“Just heard from Raven. Jaha’s house is swarming with reporters, which is what we wanted, right?” Marcus asked, glancing at Monty who just nodded along. Bellamy swallowed, keeping his eyes on the screen.

“Both Wells Jaha and Clarke Griffin had no comment as they left the precinct,” the broadcaster continued, as it flashed to footage of Wells and Clarke walking arm in arm past the reporters, ducking their heads.

“I have complete faith that the Arkadia Police Department will find out who was responsible for my wife’s death and bring them to justice,” Jaha said on the screen, although Bellamy knew that particular footage was from hours ago since he was now safely trapped in his own house.

He decided to dial Clarke, to check in and make sure things weren’t getting too chaotic on her end.

“I hate people so much,” she grumbled instead of saying hello. Bellamy let out a slight chuckle.

“How is Wells?” he asked, and he heard Clarke suck in a hesitant breath. She was just as nervous about this plan, especially since it relied on her predicting Wells’ reactions. But, with everything Echo figured out, they realized that they didn’t have time for a perfect plan. They just had to trust that Clarke knew Wells.

“Asking all the right questions. I got the camera on him without him noticing,” she replied, sounding slightly out of breath.

“Should Monty start dropping more suspicious hints?” he asked, seeing Monty’s head pop up.

“I mean, probably not. He didn’t say it, but I’m fairly certain he thinks Jaha did it,” she said, and he nodded along. “And, if it doesn’t work, we’ll know and we can move on to plan B.”

Bellamy swallowed, because he hated plan B. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

For this plan to work, Jaha needed to be comfortable enough to be honest. And, he’d be more likely to think that Wells wouldn’t betray him… because, Wells would never knowingly do it. But, there was no guarantee that Wells would say the right things to make Jaha snap.

Clarke, on the other hand, could say all the right things. But, Jaha was also more likely to kill her if he knew what all she knew. After all, he killed Abby with very little remorse.

 

Bellamy paced in the living room, his eyes repeatedly flickering up to the news. Clarke was fidgeting too, probably just as antsy as he was. There was nothing for them to actually do… it was just a matter of sitting and waiting. Then, Bellamy heard Wells’ voice on the monitor.

He glanced over Jasper’s shoulder, seeing the feed that Clarke had attached to Wells’ jacket without him knowing.

“Tell me you didn’t do this,” Wells said as he stormed into Jaha’s study. Clarke started dialing Raven, and put it on speaker.

“What did I do?” Jaha asked flippantly, and Bellamy suddenly realized what big gamble it was to think that Wells could get the truth out of him.

“You murdered Abby,” Wells accused, and the camera was a bit shaky because he wasn’t standing still. Jaha looked up at him, narrowing his eyes at him. “Was it because she was going to tell the police what you did to those people at Mt. Weather?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Clarke said into the speakerphone, and Bellamy sucked in a breath. They only had one chance to get this right, otherwise Jaha would know it was them and they would never get another chance like this.

“Wells, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jaha said on the screen, and Bellamy’s hand found Clarke’s… just praying that she was right.

“I could go to the police. I could tell them everything I know about what you did,” Wells shouted, voice cracking. Then, Bellamy saw the terrifying, smug look on Jaha’s face… that he knew way too well.

“Now, Raven,” he ordered, and Clarke nodded. He heard Raven and Monty suck in a breath on the other line, and, within moments, the feed from Wells’ camera was up on the tv screen, hijacking the news’ live coverage.

“You can’t go to the police. I own the police,” he growled, and Clarke gripped Bellamy’s hand tighter, both of them now looking up at the screen. “How do you think I got away with Mt. Weather?”

“I will tell the FBI then,” Wells said stubbornly, and Bellamy let out a relieved sigh… Clarke was right about him. He wasn’t anything like his father.

“Sit down!” Jaha yelled. “You won’t tell anyone what you think you know, because you’re not stupid. You know that I killed Abby to keep her quiet. You know that even though I love you, even my love has limits. You know that if you tried to take me down, I would get rid of you, just like I did so many others.”

“You wouldn’t do that. I’m your son,” Wells argued, his voice sounding panicked, as Jaha tapped on his desk.

“You don’t know what I would do, Wells!” he growled so loudly that it echoed inside Jasper’s living room. “I worked with a group of domestic terrorists to destroy Mt. Weather. I pinned it on that idiot Sinclair, while Abby and I robbed the charity we created for the victims. I will do whatever it takes to shut this down, even if it means taking you out. The money I made on all those people’s deaths is what paid for your waste of an MBA, you ungrateful child. So, you are going to keep your fucking mouth shut, and enjoy the life I gave you!”

“That’s it,” Bellamy said, cueing Raven and Monty to cut off the feed before anyone could trace them. Then, the screen flickered back to the normal news program, with a very confused on-site reporter listening closely to her earpiece.

“Uh, I’m not sure how our signal got co-opted,” she stuttered out, still looking stunned at what she just heard. “It seems that this came from inside Thelonious Jaha’s house…” she continued, her jaw dropping slightly as she looked around at the other reporters outside his house.

“Now what?” Clarke asked, and Bellamy gestured for Jasper to put the house live feed up on the screen. He pulled his phone out to text Marcus that it was time to hand over the evidence.

“You’re a monster,” Wells yelled, storming toward the stairs.

Jaha moved out of the study and toward the kitchen, before pouring himself a drink.

Jasper, Bellamy, and Clarke sat in silence, waiting. Then, Jaha got a phone call. He didn’t speak. He just listened, and Bellamy imagined that he was just now hearing about his confession being broadcasted on live television.

He liked to think Jaha’s brain was panicked. After all, he could buy the police all he wanted… but now, the entire world would know what he did. And, all the money in the world couldn’t get him out of that. No one could help him... he was done. The police can’t keep hiding things for him, not when the entire country would be demanding justice.

He called his lawyer quickly, before the pounding on the door came. Jaha slowly walked into the living room, as Wells came back down the stairs. Jaha shot him a horrified look, unable to speak.

Then, the police kicked open his door and swarmed the entire house. Raven and Monty ran into the apartment, excitedly looking up to the screen.

Bellamy didn’t notice he had been crying until Clarke wiped a tear from his cheek. He pulled her tight against him, feeling like for the first time in eighteen years, he could breathe.

 

The whole thing felt like a dream. He got a front row seat at Jaha’s trial, watching his lawyer try desperately to get that confession thrown out of court. But, even if he succeeded, it didn’t matter. Too many other people came out with confessions of their own, backing up every horrible thing Jaha said that night. That combined with the evidence Abby had kept… it sealed his fate. He was done.

He would never forget how Raven burst into tears at the announcement that Sinclair had been cleared off all crimes, or Monty’s excited voice as he called his dad to let him know it was all over. Or, the strangled sob from his sister over the phone when Bellamy told her it was safe to come home. Or, the way that Marcus clung to him and Clarke in the tightest hug Bellamy had ever experienced.

And, he would never forget his lips crashing into Clarke’s once the conviction came through… the way they breathlessly clung to each other, tearing apart each other’s clothes as they stumbled toward their bedroom. The beautiful words of love, the weight finally lifted off both their shoulders. The realization that they still had each other… that, they righted the past, and still got to keep their future.

“I love you so much,” Bellamy murmured into her neck, his fingers thrusting deep inside her.

“Love you too,” she moaned breathlessly, throwing her head back to give him more access to her neck. “Fuck, Bell,” she whimpered as he crooked his fingers slightly.

“Yeah, princess, come on my fingers,” he begged, longing to see the way she melted when she came undone for him. Her moans got louder, as he started thrusting his fingers even faster.

“So close,” her strangled voice managed to choke out, and Bellamy crashed his lips back into hers, feeling her whimper into his mouth as her tight pussy clenched around his fingers.

“So beautiful, Clarke,” he encouraged, still letting his fingers fuck her though her orgasm. She gripped his hair tightly, while her other hand held onto the sheets. “God, I love making you come,” he whispered, tilting his head up so he could watch her face better. Her lip was quivering as she tried to form a coherent thought, but she was too lost in the pleasure… and, it was so gorgeous.

She didn’t recover for long until she was pulling him on top of her. “I need you,” she begged, as she kissed down his neck.

“Fuck,” he murmured, as he lined his cock up with her entrance. He gently pushed his way in, feeling Clarke’s hands travel down to grab his ass, pushing him harder. He let out a guttural grunt at the contact, overwhelmed by how desperately Clarke needed him inside of her. “That good, baby?” he asked breathlessly once he was fully seated inside of her, and she started nodding eagerly, her lip still pouting a bit. He slowly thrust in and out of her, but he could tell his princess was getting impatient.

“More, Bell,” she pleaded, as he lowered himself on top of her.

“Patience, Clarke. I’ll give you this for the rest of our lives,” he promised, hearing her catch her breath at those words. He pressed a slow kiss to her lips, feeling her shudder underneath him. Then, he buried his face into her neck, pressing long, searing kisses to the skin. He bit along her jawline, knowing all too well it would leave a mark. But, the possessive part of him loved the idea of Clarke being marked as his… and he already knew that Clarke had left a matching mark on his throat.

“Bell?” she said breathlessly, and he glanced up to meet her eyes. “We can do whatever we want now,” she whispered… and even though Bellamy had already come to that conclusion, it felt so much more real once it came off Clarke’s lips.

“And what do you want, sweetheart?” he asked, before thrusting even harder into her. She let out a whimper, gripping his curls even tighter.

“To start our family,” she whispered, almost hesitantly, as if she would be concerned about how Bellamy would take that. He crashed his lips into hers, his mind flooded with images of what could be. Of babysitting his future niece or nephew. Of running off with Clarke to get married again, the right way this time. Of making love to Clarke every night, trying to get her pregnant. Of how happy it would make Clarke to have a baby. Of them giving their kids the wonderful life that he and Clarke had briefly stolen from them. Of the beautiful life they would have.

 

Their celebration did not last long, however.

“Clarke, who is it?” Bellamy asked, as Clarke paced in the kitchen, on the phone. She let out a huff, before putting it on speaker.

“You’re talking to both of us now,” Clarke announced.

“Blake,” he heard Echo say, and he let out a relieved sigh. “We have a slight problem.”

“Don’t tell me that they didn’t freeze The Ark’s accounts,” Bellamy groaned.

“Oh, no. The Ark is dead, being torn into parts as we speak. We prevented whatever attack they had planned,” she said, immediately relieving him. But, he saw Clarke’s face tense up. “The problem is Jaha.”

“Echo, he’s been convicted. He can’t do much damage from inside jail. No one would risk going down with him,” he snapped, and Clarke shot him a warning look.

“Except he’s not staying in jail. You know how I got Pike out of prison by faking his death?” she said, and Bellamy let out a groan. “Well, Jaha hired the friend that did that to get him out. They’re gonna smuggle him out.”

Bellamy’s eyes met Clarke’s, her rage matching his as they both realized that he was going to be free.

“Would your friend be willing to turn on him?” Clarke asked, and Echo started chuckling.

“Of course. That’s why I’m calling. I’d come deal with it, but I’m not exactly in the country at the moment,” she said, and Bellamy resisted the urge to pound her with questions about what exactly she was doing. He knew that when her mission was over, he would know everything. “He’s gonna have to walk for a while, and he will be expecting a van to come pick him up. Except, it’s not going to. You guys are. I’ll text you the information.”

Then, Echo hung up, and Bellamy’s eyes met Clarke’s once again.

“He’s just going to keep finding ways to get out of prison,” Clarke said, and Bellamy nodded, realizing the same thing. As long as he drew breath, Thelonious Jaha would find a way out of dealing with his own consequences.

“Time for a more permanent solution,” he mumbled, as he pulled out his phone to call Marcus.

 

They found him quietly walking on the side of the road, dressed up as a priest. Bellamy imagined that’s how Echo’s friend smuggled him out. He doubted that Pike got such a humane treatment, but didn’t really care. Clarke stopped the van, looking at him, before glancing back at Marcus. Jaha seemed to notice them, and started to wave at them. Bellamy rolled his eyes, before glancing at Clarke, her hand already on the door handle.

“Together?” she asked.

“Together,” he affirmed, before they both swung their doors open. She left the headlights on, which meant Jaha couldn’t see them very well.

“I was beginning to think you would never pick me up,” Jaha grumbled, and Bellamy heard Marcus step out of the car. He swallowed, as he reached for his gun, noticing Clarke do the same.

“Must have hit traffic,” Clarke said, and Bellamy saw Jaha’s eyes widen in panic.

“Clarke?” he growled, stepping toward her. Then, Clarke cocked her gun at him. Bellamy followed suit, as Jaha looked over at him. “What the hell is this?” he shouted, and then, Marcus stepped forward, holding a knife in his hand.

“Hello, Thelonious,” Marcus said with a terrifying grin. “Did you really think you were going to get away with what you did?”

“Clarke,” Jaha said, eyeing Clarke closely. Bellamy was almost amused that he thought that Clarke would somehow help him.

Clarke got a tighter grip on her gun, staring him down, like a beautifully stoic statue. “You killed my mother. You had me committed. You left me to die when Cage took me. And, that’s just what you did to me,” she said calmly, before shooting him right in the knee, knocking him to the ground. Jaha screamed in pain, even louder than Pike did when Clarke shot him in the foot. His eyes flickered up to Bellamy’s, pleading with him.

“You also killed my mother, Aurora Blake,” he growled, and he could see all hope vanish from Jaha’s eyes. “You killed Sterling, and Maya. You almost got Clarke killed just to save yourself. You ruined Sinclair’s life. And, you stole from everyone who lost someone in Mt. Weather,” Bellamy continued, before shooting Jaha in the shoulder. He let out a shaky breath, watching Marcus slowly walk over to him. Bellamy’s eyes flickered up to Clarke’s, as they both started to move closer, in case Jaha still tried to attack Marcus.

“My mother was in Mt. Weather, and you knew that,” Marcus snapped, before kicking Jaha right in the stomach. “You killed Abby,” he shouted, voice cracking, and Bellamy sucked in a breath. “You killed 382 people in Mt. Weather. And you still think you get to live?”

Marcus crouched down before stabbing Jaha right in the stomach. Bellamy wanted to look away. It was too much blood for him. He would have been happy if Jaha had lived out his life in prison. But, Jaha wouldn’t accept that fate. So, they gave him a more appropriate one. And, Bellamy was going to watch every second of his slow, painful death.

 

The first thing Bellamy noticed was that Octavia was showing. The second thing he noticed was that he was crying, long before Octavia ran up and threw herself into his arms.

It was just him picking up Octavia and Lincoln. Marcus had a few loose ends to tie up, and Clarke was helping Wells pack up Jaha’s house. Monty flew home to visit with his father, probably telling the whole tale of how they brought down Thelonious Jaha. And, Jasper flew out to visit Vincent Vie, to let him know that his wife had been avenged and that his daughter’s death wasn’t in vain.

Until things got more settled, Lincoln and Octavia were living with him. That night, Lincoln had taken off to let his friends know he was still alive and okay, and Clarke was still taking care of Jaha’s estate, which left Bellamy and Octavia alone.

“Here,” Bellamy said, handing Octavia the list. She smirked, looking at it.

“What now?” she asked, in slight disbelief. Bellamy gestured to the fireplace, and Octavia tossed the list in, watching it get engulfed in flames.

They sat in silence, reveling in the peace that it was all finally over.

“You said that there was someone else responsible for Mt. Weather. Do you not want to hunt him down?” she asked suddenly, and Bellamy swallowed.

“I don’t even know his name, O. And, besides, our plan was always to avenge our mother and Mt. Weather. Jaha is the one who actually did all that, not this mysterious man.”

“But, it bothers you, doesn’t it?” she asked eagerly, and Bellamy let out a huff.

“Of course. But, I trust Echo. It may take a while, but she will put an end to it,” he said confidently, and Octavia snorted.

“You trust Echo… I still can’t believe that,” she replied, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Don’t you have more pressing things to be worrying about?” Bellamy asked, gesturing to the small bump growing on her stomach.

“Yeah,” she said with a soft smile, her hands flying to her stomach.

“Mom would be proud of you,” he reassured, as he pulled her in closer, kissing the top of her head.

“She would be proud of you too,” Octavia reminded, and Bellamy’s chest filled with warmth.

 

“Bellamy,” Clarke sleepily groaned, since he accidentally woke her up. But, she was talking in her sleep again, and it was just too cute for him not to kiss her cheek or pull her closer.

“Go back to sleep,” he said, feeling a little bit guilty. But, Clarke pulled herself even closer to his chest, her arm wrapping around his torso as he felt her cheek press against his bare skin.

“You’re thinking too loud,” she mumbled, as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“Sorry, princess. I’m just busy wondering how I got so lucky to find you.”

“Wasn’t luck. I was your mark, remember?” she teased, and Bellamy snorted.

“Of course, I remember. It’s part of our fascinating and mildly terrifying love story,” he said with a smirk, and Clarke nuzzled closer.

“That’ll be a fun part of the story to tell our children one day,” she whispered. His heart started pounding at the way Clarke just casually mentioned their future children now.

“Let’s just leave out the storage unit part,” he said with a chuckle, and Clarke sleepily lifted her head up to glare at him.

“Unit 152B was our Paris, Bell,” she deadpanned, and Bellamy burst out laughing, wrapping his arms tighter around her. He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, still chuckling.

“Maybe I don’t want our babies to know that I trapped you in a storage unit for thirteen hours just to get you to talk to me,” he reminded.

“Then, you shouldn’t have done it,” she smirked, and Bellamy threw his head back.

“You’re just salty that for once in my life, I outsmarted you,” he retorted.

“Alright, I won’t tell them about the storage unit, if you don’t tell them about me handcuffing you to the bed,” she decided, and he nodded in agreement.

She laid back down on his chest, her leg hitching itself between his. He started peppering kisses all over her forehead, watching her slowly drift back to sleep.

Bellamy never would have imagined that his plan for revenge would end like this… that he would get something like this. That the princess who started off as an innocent mark became his partner in crime, his other half, his everything.

And, after eighteen years of being haunted by the past, he was holding his future in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I'm giving in and writing an epilogue. I've got a good idea of what I'm gonna do, but if you guys have any requests, let me know.


	23. Renaissance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here is the epilogue. It starts off a year after the last chapter. This is my third time writing this epilogue, but it was worth it. It didn't end up being as fluffy as I thought, but I think you guys will be happy with it anyway. It's a bit angsty, but that matches the rest of the fic lol. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you for all the love and support throughout this fic. I know I've thrown a lot at you guys, so thank you for your enthusiasm. You have no idea how much it means to me. Love you guys.

“And then I said that red was a perfectly good color for the kitchen, but do you know what happened?” Bellamy asked Jason, who wasn’t even paying attention to Bellamy. His focus was primarily on shoving the triangle block into the circle hole. “Grandpa Marcus agreed with Aunt Clarke, and now I have a blue kitchen.”

Jason’s brown eyes were now staring at him intensely, and Bellamy propped his head up in his hands as he stared back at him. “I don’t have anything against blue. Your room is blue. But, I really liked the red.”

Jason dropped the block in frustration, before picking up the circle block. Bellamy got excited for a moment, thinking that he had finally figured it out. But, then he started trying to shove it into the square hole. “See, you know exactly what I’m going through,” Bellamy chuckled.

“Still bitter about the kitchen?” Clarke asked, causing Bellamy to jump. She walked over to them, and picked Jason up, pressing a bunch of kisses all over his face. “Don’t listen to your Uncle Bell. He has picked out literally everything else for the kitchen,” she said with a grin to Jason. Bellamy pushed himself off his stomach to try and stand up. “Hi,” she said to him with a sweet smile. He moved over to her, and kissed her forehead.

“You should have woken me up this morning. Octavia woke me up by screaming about Echo staying here,” he muttered, as Clarke bounced Jason slightly.

“She’s leaving tomorrow,” Clarke replied, and he let out a sigh of relief. She glanced back at Jason, who was sleepily resting his head on Clarke’s chest. God, Bellamy loved that sight. He tried to ignore the warm feeling in his chest as he saw Clarke holding their nephew… but, it was never going away. “Yeah, we love Aunt Echo, but she can be a little terrifying,” Clarke whispered.

“We tolerate Aunt Echo,” he corrected, and Clarke raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, we sometimes like Aunt Echo.”

He heard his front door swing open, as Octavia and Lincoln came in, both looking exhausted. Clarke pouted to Bellamy, since she had just gotten to hold Jason.

“Did you find the one?” Bellamy asked, and he saw Lincoln raise an eyebrow at Octavia.

“I think so,” Lincoln said, still looking pointedly at her. “But, she can’t see past paint color.”

“I just think eggplant is a strange color for a living room,” she mumbled, and Bellamy and Clarke exchanged a look. Octavia and Lincoln had been looking for an actual house, instead of their cramped apartment. It was fine for now, but once Jason started getting bigger, they would need more space.

“I will paint your walls a different color if that’s the only thing keeping you back,” Clarke jumped in, as Lincoln picked up Jason.

“It’s in a nice neighborhood, and it’s right by Grandpa Marcus’ house,” Lincoln whispered to Jason, who was too busy trying to grab his nose.

“O, is it the one?” Bellamy asked, crossing his arms. Slowly, a smile started to grow on her face.

“Okay, yeah, I love it,” she gave in, and Bellamy rolled his eyes.

 

“What has gotten into you?” Clarke asked breathlessly, as Bellamy climbed on top of her, pressing kisses up her bare chest.

“Just love you,” he murmured, before his tongue darted across her nipple. He could feel her shudder underneath him, as her fingers found his scalp.

“Bell,” she whimpered, tugging his head up to make him look at her.

“Yeah, princess?” he said with a smirk, as he pushed himself up to kiss her lips.

“Does this have anything to do with how you were staring at me while I held Jason?” she teased, as she tugged on his curls. He crashed his lips onto hers, because she didn’t need an answer. She already knew that she was right. This had become an all too regular occurrence after they babysat him. He just got so overwhelmed by how sweet and tender Clarke was with the baby, and all he wanted to do was get her pregnant. So, every time he heard the front door close as Octavia and Jason left, he found himself throwing Clarke onto their bed, making love to her and listening to her whimper his name over and over.

She moaned into his mouth, as she gripped him tighter. He ran his hands down her sides, feeling her soft skin beneath his fingertips. He slowly nudged her legs apart, feeling the arousal gathering between them.

“You’re ready for me already, princess. Tell me, what caused that?” he teased as he bit her bottom lip. Clarke’s eyes fluttered a few times as she stared back at him. She pursed her lips together as she pretended to think about it… but, Bellamy knew that watching him with Jason had a very similar effect on Clarke.

“Shut up and fuck me,” she ordered, and fuck, he wasn’t going to deny her. He crashed his lips back into hers, as his hand guided the head of his cock to her entrance. Her eyes fluttered shut as he entered her, her lips slightly parted as she focused on how it felt.

“Clarke,” he whispered, burying his face into her neck as he thrust slowly into her. His eyes were closed now, because it was all too much. She was so tight and warm around him, her breathing sounded so beautiful, she smelled so sweet… and he knew that if he looked into her loving eyes, he would come undone so quickly… he wouldn’t be able to stop himself.

 

As soon as he heard the door open, one hand was on his gun and his other was pulling Clarke closer to him. Even though nothing bad had happened in the past year, Bellamy still felt a sense of unease… a concern that it wasn’t really over.

“Bell, it’s Echo, remember?” Clarke grumbled, as she pulled away from him, throwing a shirt back on. He let out a loud groan, remembering his least favorite house guest. He quickly got dressed and stumbled into the living room, still keeping his gun in his hand… just in case.

“I didn’t interrupt you two fucking, did I?” Echo asked as she rummaged through their pantry.

“Echo, it’s two in the morning,” Clarke groaned, and Echo let out a loud chuckle. Clarke started muttering to herself as she stumbled back into their room.

“You’re kind of a dick,” Bellamy snapped, and Echo snorted, as she pulled out a box of Pop-Tarts. “So, you ever going to tell me where you’ve been for the past year?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. He figured this was his last opportunity before she disappeared again. As much as he didn’t like to admit it, he frequently found himself awake at night wondering who Echo was hunting down. Bellamy knew that his mission was over, that he and Clarke agreed to walk away from it… that he did his job and it was over. But, in the weirdest way, he missed it.

His life was wonderful, of course. Work was going well. Raven joined Jascorp and was challenging Monty and Jasper at every turn… which made the quality of their work so much better. His sister was happy, and he loved his nephew with all his heart. And, most importantly, he had Clarke and they were trying to have a baby. His life was beautiful and everything he had ever dreamed of.

But, he spent ten years with Marcus plotting revenge. Old habits die hard.

“Here and there. I’m getting closer to him, though,” she said, before stuffing the Pop-Tart into her mouth. Bellamy let out a groan, as he stumbled back toward his bedroom. Of course, she still wasn’t going to tell him.

He was frustrated… which wasn’t entirely fair to Echo. She and Clarke have had an agreement for years, and it now extended to include Bellamy. Echo kept them in the dark as much as she could, to keep them safe. And, Echo probably knew that the second she gave him a name, he would start researching and digging… and, get dragged right back into it.

He closed the door behind him, seeing Clarke lying back down on her back. Her eyes were closed, and her golden hair was spread out messily over the pillow. He started to climb in beside her, lifting up her shirt slightly so he could kiss her stomach.

“Bell, we don’t even know if I’m pregnant yet,” she mumbled, and he smirked against her skin.

“I just have a good feeling about this time,” Bellamy murmured, before kissing just above her bellybutton. He knew he shouldn’t get his hopes up, especially given the last three months. But, he just so excited about the possibility of a new member of the family.

 

Weeks later, Bellamy found himself staring wide-eyed at his screen that morning. “Clarke!” he shouted, and Clarke came sprinting in, her face looking a little tearstained. But, before he could ask her what was wrong, she saw the screen.

“Where is this?” she asked, and Bellamy swallowed.

“Polis,” he replied, and her eyes were filled with terror, as she pulled out her phone, probably to check on Echo. He turned back to look at remnants of the Eligius Corporation building, the smoke looking just like it did back at Mt. Weather. Then, he heard Clarke muffle out a sob, and he jumped up, as Clarke put her phone on speaker.

“So, chill the fuck out. I’m totally fine, you dumb bitch,” Echo muttered angrily.

“Echo, what is going on?” Bellamy groaned, and Bellamy could hear another voice on Echo’s end.

“I didn’t get to him in time. Listen, I am driving your way right now. I’m not alone either. We need a place to stay.”

“Of course, just stay calm,” Clarke said, and Bellamy shot her a look. Clarke’s eyes were pleading with him, and he nodded. Of course, Echo could stay with them if she was in trouble. He just felt uneasy about welcoming this chaos back into their lives.

“Is someone following you?” he had to ask, and he was met with a few moments of silence. Then, Bellamy heard that small voice again.

“No,” she finally said, and he let out a breath. “I bought myself a few days. They think I’m in Polis.” Bellamy’s eyes flickered to Clarke’s, panicked by the fact that Echo just said _they_ instead of _he._ “Look, I’ll call you when I’m close.” Then, she hung up.

“It has to be the same guy that was in league with Thelonious,” Clarke concluded, as she looked at the screen. Bellamy put his hand around her waist, before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“At least Echo is safe,” he reassured, as Clarke pushed her face into his chest. He watched the screen as he rubbed Clarke’s back. He knew Clarke was probably right… that this had some relation to Mt. Weather. The two attacks looked nearly identical. But, two things could be a coincidence. Throw in Praimfaya, and then it looked a lot more like a pattern.

 

Neither one of them went to work that day. Clarke claimed that Harper had a handle on the gallery for the day, and Bellamy didn’t really want to be around people.

Clarke stayed at the kitchen table, taking notes on the articles she read and comparing them to their information. He had a strange sense of déjà vu as he watched her, seeing the same kind of focus she had while they were planning on taking down Jaha.

But, that made him uneasy. Even though there was a weird part of him that missed the chaos, he didn’t want to get thrown back into it, and he knew Clarke didn’t either. They earned their beautiful life.

“Hey, Clarke,” Bellamy said, as he flipped through the news coverage.

“Yeah?” she mumbled, and he glanced back at her, seeing her completely focused on whatever was on her screen.

“You were already upset this morning before you saw the news. Is something else going on?” he asked, and her eyes flickered to meet his, as she tried to force a smile and failed. He blinked a few times, recognizing this face. “Hey,” he said softly, as he pushed himself off the couch to move over toward her. “We haven’t been trying for that long,” he reassured, sitting down in the seat next to her. She swallowed, nodding, as her eyes went back to her laptop.

He followed her eyes, seeing her reading an article listing off the victims. He put his arm around her, scooching his chair as close to hers as possible.

“Clarke,” he said, trying to get her to focus on him. He pushed her hair behind her ear, before tilting her chin toward him. “I love you,” he reminded her.

“I love you too,” she said sadly, and he wrapped his other arm around her, pressing kisses to the top of her head.

 

They had fallen asleep on the couch as they waited for Echo to show up. The knock on the door woke him up, and he started to nudge Clarke to do the same, before he got up to let Echo in. He blinked a few times once he opened the door, realizing that Echo was carrying a child.

“Echo,” Bellamy said, before Echo gestured for him to be quiet. He glanced over at Clarke, who looked just as surprised.

“We’ll talk, but I want to get her into a bed. She’s had a rough day,” Echo said, as Clarke gestured toward the stairs. Bellamy and Clarke followed Echo quietly, watching her carefully tuck in the girl. He knew that Echo had been in Polis during the attack, which meant that this brunette girl was there too. He knew all too well how overwhelming that would have been for her, since he was roughly the same age on Mt. Weather. Hell, Echo drove through the whole day to get to them. She probably needed sleep too.

As soon as Echo closed the bedroom door behind her, Clarke was on her.

“What is going on?” Clarke asked, following Echo back down the stairs. Bellamy followed too, but gave Echo a bit of distance. Plus, he was a little too trapped in his own thoughts about what this child was doing here to prioritize his questions.

“You know exactly who caused that attack, Clarke. I know you’re not stupid,” Echo snapped, as she moved toward the living room. He heard Clarke let out a loud groan.

“No, we don’t know who it is because you won’t tell us,” Clarke growled, and Echo clenched her jaw. “I get it. You’re trying to keep us safe. But, we’re already involved, so you might as well tell us.” Bellamy swallowed, not wanting to stir the pot anymore, even though Clarke just perfectly verbalized his thoughts.

“Bill Cadogan,” Echo said, and Clarke and Bellamy exchanged a glance, not recognizing the name. “He led the Second Dawn,” she followed up, and Bellamy nodded in recognition. He had come across a lot of connections between Jaha and the Second Dawn over the years… but, didn’t realize just how connected they were. “Look, I was following a lead. I was so close,” she said desperately, and Bellamy could see just how guilty Echo felt about the explosion. “And, I was right. He’s been working with Robert McCreary. I just thought I had more time,” she continued, and Bellamy recognized that name from the news. He must be their new Jaha.

“How does the girl fit into this?” Clarke asked, eyes flickering toward the stairs. And, Bellamy swears Echo was two seconds away from bursting into tears.

“Her parents were in the building when it…” Echo said, looking down at the ground. Bellamy felt his chest tighten at those words, his heart aching for this girl who was just orphaned. “Her name is Madi.” Bellamy glanced over at Clarke, whose eyes were threatening tears as well. “I was hoping you would take care of her,” Echo said to Clarke, whose lips were parted, eyes narrowed at Echo in confusion.

“Who is Madi to you?” Bellamy had to ask, since Clarke was still too stunned to speak. Echo’s eyes flickered up to meet his, and he could see the same kind of affection that Echo had for Clarke shine through.

“She is my niece.” His eyes flickered to Clarke’s, seeing her entire face soften as she studied Echo. “I haven’t spoken to my sister since I disappeared, but this was the least I could do for her.” Echo’s eyes were pleading with Bellamy. “You two are the only people I can trust with her.”

“We’ll take care of her,” Clarke said quickly, and Bellamy nodded.

 

 

He and Clarke had stayed up all night talking about it, once Echo had gone to sleep.

“She’s like us, Bell,” Clarke whispered, her head on top of his chest. Bellamy could see the light start to flicker into the room, knowing that he would kick himself all day for not getting any sleep.

“I know,” he confessed. That had been ringing around in his head ever since Echo told them what happened to Madi’s parents. If left in Polis, she would have been doomed to the same fate as them, spending the rest of her life filled with anger and vengeance. But, unlike them, she had Echo, who had already assembled her own little revenge team to take these people down. Madi could still have a normal life, eventually. “But, we can make it easier for her,” he said, looking down at Clarke, who was looking up at him.

“You sure you’re okay with this?” she asked, even though Bellamy already knew that Clarke had made up her mind.

“Of course. I mean, who could protect her better than us? And, this way she can still be close with Echo, without endangering Echo’s cover,” he said, listing off reasons this would be ideal. “We understand what she’s going through better than anyone else could. And, she’d have two parents who would love her.”

He saw Clarke’s grin widen as he said that last part, before she pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Echo said the papers could be drawn up tomorrow, or uh,” Clarke said, looking up at the window, “today, I guess.”

He wondered how hard this was for Echo. He knew she wasn’t exactly the nurturing type, and never really planned on having her own family. Hell, he didn’t even know she had living family until that night. But, it was clear that Echo did still love someone. And, he had to admit, it warmed his heart that she was trusting them with someone so precious to her.

 

“Are you Bellamy?” he heard, causing him to jump as he closed the refrigerator. He turned to see Madi, looking up at him with her curious brown eyes.

“Yeah, you must be Madi,” he said with a smile, but the girl just narrowed her eyes at him, tilting her head slightly.

“You’re not funny looking,” she mused, and Bellamy tilted his head in confusion. “Echo said you were.” He did his best not to roll his eyes at that… because, of course, Echo smack talked him while driving her here.

“What else did Echo say?” he had to ask.

“That Clarke loves you, so we have to put up with you,” she said bluntly, and Bellamy imagined she was at least ten-years-old. “And, Clarke is her best friend and way smarter than you.”

“Okay, well, that’s all true,” he chuckled. “Um, are you hungry? I’ve got some cereal, or I could make something. I happen to be a pancake wizard,” he said, as Madi made herself at home, leaning against the counter with a skeptical look on her face.

 

Bellamy wished he got to spend more time with Madi that first day, but he needed to work out logistics with Echo. It was clear that Madi needed some way to stay in contact with Echo… which wasn’t exactly Echo’s style. So, Clarke took Madi shopping, while he argued with Echo about how to keep in contact.

Once that was established, Bellamy made Echo type up every single thing she knew about Madi for him, while he went over the adoption papers.

“I know I’m asking a lot of you,” Echo said suddenly, causing Bellamy’s head to jerk up.

“What are you talking about?”

“I know that you and Clarke were out of this and trying to have baby. And, I’m dragging you back into it,” she explained, and Bellamy put up his hand to stop her.

“Echo, Clarke and I were never going to be out of this. It’s a part of who we are, just like it is for you. And, I’m more than happy to do this,” he corrected her, knowing that Marcus is what saved him. But, if he had found Bellamy sooner, Bellamy could have had a much easier life. Madi needed him and Clarke, and, he thinks that they needed her too.

Because, they were never going to be completely over what happened on August 3, 1999, no matter how much time passed. They were both, in their own way, struggling a bit with settling into a normal life. It was too easy to slip back into revenge mode yesterday when they saw the news. They both needed something to fight for, to protect… and Madi could be that for them.

He could see it on Clarke’s face as she talked with Madi that morning, when she explained that she went through something similar when she was six. He could see such beautiful hope in her eyes when Madi hugged her, and he felt the same hope when Madi took the first bite of the pancake and started grinning.

They could be her family. They could protect her and love her… and make sure she never felt like she was alone in this.

 

“She’s so smart, Bell,” Clarke whispered, tilting her head up at him. Bellamy looked down at Madi, carefully sandwiched between them in bed. Her head was tucked into Clarke’s neck. He ran his fingers through Madi’s hair, just grateful that she had finally fallen asleep. The poor girl had been crying herself to sleep every night since she got here three days ago, and had resigned herself to sleeping in bed with them so she could curl up against Clarke.

“I know,” he whispered back, thinking back to earlier that day when he tried to tell her the story about Prometheus and she corrected him when he left a part of the story out accidentally. He would have been embarrassed if he wasn’t so damn impressed.

He glanced back up at Clarke, seeing her beam at Madi with so much love in her eyes. “How long did it take you to stop crying yourself to sleep?” Clarke asked suddenly, keeping her eyes on Madi.

“A few weeks. The harder thing was being away from O,” he confessed, thinking back to those early days in foster care.

“It took me a few months, but I was younger,” Clarke sighed, now glancing up at him.

“Well, she has something we never did,” he observed, and Clarke nodded, pressing her lips together. Madi had them. She had two people who weren’t going to abandon her, who understood what she was going through, who weren’t going to send her away or tell her that she was making it up. She was getting the family that Bellamy needed all those years ago. And, he was going to do everything he could to make sure this girl knew she was loved.

 

Any concern Bellamy had about Madi not feeling comfortable with the family went out the door as soon as he saw Madi excitedly sprinting to the door to meet Octavia and Jason.

“Look who is excited to see you,” Octavia said to Jason, as she pulled Madi in for a side hug. Lincoln and Marcus entered the house at that moment, and Madi ran up to Marcus and pulled him into a hug.

“Clarke, the family is here,” Bellamy shouted back toward their bedroom, which earned a loud huff from Clarke. She was running late, as always… but, to be fair, she was trying to get the paint out of her hair after Madi’s art lesson.

“Bell tells me you know how to do those cool braids,” Madi said to Octavia excitedly, and Octavia smirked at Bellamy, before handing Jason off to Lincoln.

“Get me a hairbrush and hair tie, and I’ll prove it,” Octavia challenged, and Madi took off sprinting up the stairs to grab them from her bathroom. Then, Octavia narrowed her eyes at Bellamy.

“She wants me to fishtail and I don’t know what that is,” he defended himself, and Octavia burst out laughing.

“Watch YouTube tutorials like a good dad,” Marcus butted in, as he lifted Jason from Lincoln’s arms.

Clarke chose this moment to come out of the bathroom, resigned to keeping her hair up in a bun. “He tried that. He just really can’t do it, and Madi hasn’t been impressed with my braiding skills either,” Clarke pointed out, as Madi ran back down the stairs. Octavia gestured to the couch, and the two of them got to work on taming Madi’s hair.

 

Of course, Clarke took to being a mom naturally. His two girls were always glued at the hip, working on art projects together or planning the decoration of Madi’s new room.

And, Bellamy was pretty sure he was doing an okay job with the whole dad thing, although the only confirmation he got was from Clarke when he was doubting himself.

Made had been with them for six months, and she was starting to recover. She hadn’t cried in months, and starting school had given her a routine. She had a few friends, and Bellamy had already had to start limiting the amount of time she spent on the phone talking to them.

He knocked on her bedroom door, trying to signal that it was time for her to get off the phone and start on her homework. As he swung the door open, Madi gave him an exasperated look… exactly like the ones Clarke gave him when she got frustrated.

She turned the phone away and whispered, “Ten more minutes.”

“Five more minutes,” Bellamy corrected, crossing his arms as Madi let out a huff. Then, she went back to her phone call.

“Sorry, that was my dad. He said I have to get off the phone soon,” she groaned, and Bellamy knew he should be more concerned that his ten-year-old was already acting like a preteen who was annoyed by her parents, but he couldn’t get over the fact that she just referred to him as _her dad._

He sprinted down the stairs excitedly, finding Clarke and Wells at the kitchen table.

“Clarke!” Bellamy said excitedly, and Clarke’s eyes widened at him in amusement. “She just referred to me as her dad,” he said, his eyes threatening tears. Clarke jumped up from her chair immediately, gripping Bellamy tightly. He could see the tears forming in her eyes, as he leaned down to press a happy peck to her lips.

“I’m gonna give you two some space,” Wells awkwardly announced as he made his way toward the kitchen. Bellamy chuckled as he rested his forehead on top of Clarke’s.

“Did she really call you her dad?” Clarke asked in excited disbelief.

“Yeah, I mean it was while she was groaning about me to Charlotte, but it counts,” he smirked, and Clarke started chuckling in return.

 

The first time Madi referred to Clarke as Mom was equally as shocking. It was a few days later while Bellamy was trying to help her with her math homework. Madi was getting frustrated with him, because despite how much math he had to do at work, he couldn’t figure out these stupid word problems.

“But, you’re smart,” Madi said, furrowing her brows at him. He let out a sigh.

“I thought I was,” he joked, as he carded his fingers though his hair.

“Mom, I need help!” Madi yelled toward the kitchen, as Bellamy rested his head on the kitchen table, trying to figure out why Madi’s textbook even had a math problem that involved figuring out which flower shop was closest to this dumb wax museum.

He glanced up as Clarke walked in, seeing her eyes widen at Madi, her lips slightly parted. “What did you say?” Clarke asked Madi, and Bellamy suddenly realized what Madi said.

“I need help. These word problems are impossible,” she grumbled, but Clarke definitely heard what Madi said, even if it didn’t register to Madi what it meant.

 

They took Madi to Polis on the one-year anniversary of her parents’ death, spending a good deal of time at the cemetery.

“She’s handling this well,” Clarke observed, as she rested back onto his chest. They were sitting at a bench, several yards away from Madi to give her some time alone with her birth parents. They could faintly hear her talking to them, but she didn’t seem as hysterical as they had worried she would be. Granted, they had gotten her an excellent therapist who has helped her through the worst of it.

“I think we’re doing an okay job,” Bellamy whispered, before pressing a kiss to the top of Clarke’s head. Bellamy wondered if Madi’s real parents would agree with him. He hoped they would. From what Madi and Echo had told him, they were wonderful, loving people. And, it showed in Madi. She was so kind, and smart… and clever. Her parents raised a perfect child, and Bellamy just felt lucky that he got to be there for Madi.

Of course, this was never how Bellamy pictured his life with Clarke. But, nothing in his life had ever gone exactly as he expected. That didn’t make his life any less beautiful. And, Bellamy had never seen Clarke as happy as she was when she was snuggled up with him and Madi on the couch. And, for the first time in twenty years, he didn’t feel broken anymore. His two beautiful girls stitched him back up and held him together, and he couldn’t imagine a life where he didn’t have them.

 

“It’s done,” Echo said over the speakerphone, and Bellamy grabbed Clarke’s hand quickly in excitement.

“Does that mean you’re coming home?” Clarke asked, smiling softly. Bellamy still couldn’t believe that after all this time Echo had found him.

“Well, about that…” Echo trailed off, and Bellamy hated to admit that even he was disappointed. “Look, I will still come visit at the holidays and for Madi’s birthday… but, I have a new job.”

“Who are you seeking revenge for now?” he joked, before Clarke hit him on the shoulder.

“Actually, I had to partner up with some people I’d never considered working with before,” Echo said vaguely.

“Who? The feds?” he teased, but Echo’s silence told him that he wasn’t far off. His jaw dropped as he glanced over at Clarke, who looked just as surprised as he did.

“I have certain skills that some agencies find desirable,” she said vaguely, and Clarke gripped his hand even tighter. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Fucking Echo was actually going to stop working outside the law.

“Is that Echo?” he heard Madi shout, before she stormed down the stairs.

“Madi!” Echo shouted over the phone, as Madi plopped down next to Clarke.

 

Clarke was pacing back and forth in the living room, waiting for Madi to get off the bus.

“It’s going to be fine,” Bellamy reassured, as he put his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“What if she’s not happy about it? Or she feels like she’s being replaced?” she asked frantically, and Bellamy let out a sigh. He had those same concerns too. It wasn’t like he and Clarke were trying anymore to have a baby. It just kind of happened. And he was thrilled, already making a list of baby names and keeping his hand on Clarke’s stomach whenever it was just the two of them.

But, he had no idea how Madi would take it. Sure, she was comfortable in her life now, calling them mom and dad regularly. But, he had read enough of the articles Clarke had sent him about how to break the news to children about getting siblings to be concerned.

Madi walked into the house in excitement, already rambling about her first school dance that week and how everyone voted for her theme because it was the best. And, Bellamy was kind of proud since it was actually his idea, even though Madi had conveniently forgotten that part and took all the credit.

“Hey, Madi, we want to talk to you about something,” Clarke said hesitantly, gesturing for Madi to sit down at the kitchen table. Madi’s eyes flickered between the two of them, and Bellamy had a weird sense of déjà vu. He had seen this exact facial expression before, only on Clarke, when she was about to outsmart him.

“Is this where you tell me you’re pregnant?” Madi asked, and Bellamy nearly choked on the water he was sipping. He glanced up to Clarke, whose eyes were wide, as she tried to figure out how on earth Madi had figured that out.

“Who told you that?” Clarke asked hesitantly, and Bellamy knew the only people who knew about Clarke’s pregnancy were in this room. He hadn’t even told Octavia yet.

“No one. But, you two kept acting weird, so I went through your internet history while you were still at work and found a lot of baby articles,” she replied smugly, and Bellamy couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that Madi had managed to outsmart Clarke. Although, he was already making a mental note to put more security measures on the computer so that Madi couldn’t check their internet history.

“She is definitely our daughter,” Bellamy teased, as he observed Clarke’s dumbfounded expression. Then, he glanced back at Madi who looked way too proud of herself. “How do you feel about getting a sibling?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

“Oh, I’m excited. I hope it’s a girl,” she replied giddily, and Bellamy let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.

 

Even though Madi was getting to the age where she would deny it, thunder storms still scared her. Clarke was fast asleep, snoring slightly, as Madi crept into their room. Bellamy shuffled slightly, leaving a spot in the middle of the bed for Madi to climb in.

She tucked herself into Clarke’s neck, and Clarke started to stir. She lifted her head to see Madi, before glancing up at Bellamy. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

Clarke started showing a while ago, and he was obsessed. He had never seen anything as beautiful in his life. And, now was snuggling in bed with his _three_ girls, reaching his arm over Madi so he could keep a hand on the baby growing inside of Clarke.

Clarke and Madi fell to sleep pretty quickly, and Bellamy leaned over to kiss both of their foreheads.

Bellamy wasn’t sure what he did to deserve them. He had kept himself up at night so many times wondering about that. God, and he could only imagine how his mother would fuss over his girls. How much she would adore Clarke, or how she would spoil Madi, or how she would have already sewn a hundred outfits for the new baby.

“I love you,” Bellamy whispered to all of them, his eyes tearing up slightly as he gazed at his beautiful life.


End file.
